November 14, 2025

The History of Whiskey Part 1: How Whiskey Built America: From Farm Taxes To Flavor Science & Makers Mark Private Select

1 hour 11 minutes

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A storm knocked out the lights at Maker’s Mark, so we built a Private Select by daylight and rain, then dug into how whiskey’s flavor science connects to America’s past. We rate a “Candied Apple” pick, share cocktail ideas, and trace the path from frontier stills to Bottled‑in‑Bond and Prohibition.

• Makers Mark Private Select program and stave choices
• Our “Picked In The Dark” blend story and goals
• Live tasting and scoring of “Candied Apple”
• Caramel vs apple spice palate debate
• Cocktail ideas for apple‑cinnamon profiles
• Early American distilling and frontier barter
• Whiskey taxation and the Whiskey Rebellion
• Bottled‑in‑Bond standards and consumer trust
• Prohibition, medicinal licenses and speakeasies
• Farming, Dust Bowl and economic fallout links
• Part two teaser on post‑Prohibition to modern bourbon

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Rain hammered the windows, the power went out, and we had a barrel to pick. So we moved to a sunlit tasting room at Maker’s Mark and built a Private Select by feel, flashlight, and a lot of palate trust—then named it “Picked In The Dark.” That’s the energy we bring to this episode: a hands-on exploration of stave choices, blend strategy, and why nine weeks of finishing can turn a beloved wheated bourbon into something entirely its own.

We break down the five stave types and how they shape flavor—sweetness, tannin, chocolate tones, and spice—before opening a “Candied Apple” Private Select that split the room. Expect baked apple on the nose, cinnamon warmth, a bold body, and a finish that lingers. We score it live, argue caramel versus apple spice, and spin off cocktail ideas that make the profile shine: think hot toddy or apple‑cider highball with star anise and maple.

Then we widen the lens. Whiskey wasn’t just a drink in early America; it was logistics, currency, and tax policy. We trace the arc from colonial rye and corn distilling to the Whiskey Rebellion, the Bottled‑in‑Bond Act’s quality revolution, and the messy economics of Prohibition—medicinal permits, speakeasies, soil depletion, and the rise of organized crime. The through line is clear: from stave science to statecraft, bourbon tells the story of how the country built roads, funded wars, and developed taste.

If you’re curious about Maker’s Mark Private Select, love a good tasting debate, or want the real history behind the glass, you’ll feel right at home. Tap play, subscribe for part two on post‑Prohibition to modern bourbon, and leave a quick review so more whiskey lovers can find the show.