FOOD NEWS
Why The Iconic Red Wax On Maker's Mark Bourbon Is A Big Deal
BY Nancy Parode
While it would seem like the iconic red wax seal on the tops of Maker's Mark bottles was dipped by a machine, it's actually been done by hand since the very first bottles in 1958.
Occasionally, dippers accidentally cover a bottle's neck with wax that runs onto the shoulders, body, and label. Collectors call these bottles "slam dunks" or "oops" bottles.
Aficionados love finding slam dunks; there's even a secondary market for them. However, there is a difference between slam dunks and over-dipped Maker's Mark bottles.
Steve Akley of the ABV Network interviewed Terry Gabhart, a Maker's Mark Distillery employee with seven years of experience on the bottling line, and learned the difference.
One in every 12 bottles of Maker's Mark Cask Strength Bourbon Whisky is over-dipped, meaning the wax goes down the neck and onto the shoulders but doesn't completely cover them.
According to Gabhart, slam dunks are much rarer, about one per pallet. The brand also sometimes produces bottles with wax that is not red, typically for special occasions.