Maker’s Mark started with bread, of course. Bill Samuels bought the Burks’ Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, in 1953 and did the predictable – just not in a predictable way. He wanted to select the right mash bill for his new Bourbon. He took inspiration from the Old Fitzgerald and W. L. Weller recipes made by Pappy Van Winkle. He did not want to take the time to distill, age, and taste each candidate, so he made a loaf of bread from each mix of grain. One had no rye in it.