Just got back from Maker's Mark and it was fantastic. Got 2 Secretariat bottles, 2 Seattle Slew and 4 of the 50th Anniversary pints that me and Merry dipped ourselves.
>We started the day at a crisp 600am CST due to a slight error, but that error ended up going in our favor as we were allowed to be one of the first to purchase these bottles. And the booty (pirate-talk) doesn't stop there!!
>We then returned to the bottling line and hand-dipped our own ambassador bottles in the well-known Maker's firetruck red plastic and wax mix. Merry had beginner's luck with her 1st bottle as it came out amazingly perfect but as the lady "tried to adjust her swing" a bubble or 2 appeared in what I refer to as the "fat roll" bottle, in other words it looks a little uncircumcised.
>On to the mash distillery where we were able to dip our fingers into the "ferment" and taste it. By the end of it all I could have taken the circa 1980s hand-held PA system and given the tour myself.
>Then on to warehouse bldg D that held about 4000 (a small aging batch compared to the 20,000 that my barrel is sitting in) where we learned on the entire barreling process.
>Next on to the 2 year tasting out of the same batch of barrels that carries my name on one of its kin's placards. With 75-80% of its color and between 112-114 proof, it kicked you in the pants at the noon event. Just like it said on the admission ticket "strong and assertive with a slight sour taste on the sides of the tongue". I'm glad that they dilute it down a little.
>Next we met the great Bill Samuels, Jr himself and got 2 of the ambassador bottles signed. (With nothing personal against me and being the Chairman of the Board at UofL, he wasn't keen on me being from AU but realized that I shared his regards in the firing of everyone that took place in what is now known as Tubberville-gate).
>Then it was on to the gift shop for a "t" for the lady and 6 hours later we are home.
