Star Hill Farm Whisky 2026 Release is the second annual wheat whisky from Maker’s Mark — a corn-free American wheat whisky built on a radically reworked, mostly-malted-wheat mashbill, drawn from a 7–8 year blend and bottled at 116.4 proof, non-chill filtered.
Where the debut 2025 edition leaned on soft red winter wheat, the 2026 release reworks the recipe around malted wheat and adds undisclosed amounts of hard red and hard white wheat, plus a limited number of experimental barrels. Barrels were drawn from three rickhouse floors spanning a roughly 20-point proof swing — a deliberate break from the barrel-rotation consistency Maker’s Mark is known for, yielding a more vibrant and expressive whisky than the prior year. The corn-free, wheat-forward grain is grown on the distillery’s own Star Hill Farm in Loretto, Kentucky.
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Strawberry, honeyed apricot, peach, caramel, marmalade, and sweet oak
- Palate: Chocolate-covered cherry, vanilla, honey, ginger, fresh dough, and a touch of lemon — light and limber in body
- Finish: Dark chocolate and spicy cinnamon with fig, pecan, nutmeg, and allspice
Specs
- Producer: Maker’s Mark, Loretto, Kentucky
- Style: American Wheat Whisky — estate, limited annual release
- Mashbill: 62% malted wheat, 27% wheat, 11% malted barley (with undisclosed hard red and hard white wheat)
- Age: Undisclosed blend, 7–8 years
- Proof: 116.4, non-chill filtered
- Color: Dark amber
- Size: 700ml
Browse all whiskey at Wooden Cork.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Star Hill Farm Whisky?
It’s Maker’s Mark’s wheat whisky — a corn-free American whisky made from a wheat-forward, mostly-malted-wheat mashbill with grain grown on the distillery’s own Star Hill Farm. The 2026 release is the second annual edition.
How is the 2026 release different from 2025?
The mashbill was reworked around malted wheat (plus hard red and hard white wheat) instead of leaning on soft red winter wheat, and the blend pulls from barrels across a wide proof range. The result is more vibrant and expressive, with brighter fruit and less oak dominance than the 2025 edition.
What’s the proof and age?
Bottled at 116.4 proof and non-chill filtered, drawn from an undisclosed blend of 7–8 year old whiskeys.
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