Bourbon distiller Maker’s Mark plans $18.5 million expansion

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Bourbon distiller Maker's Mark is planning an $18.5 million expansion at its home in Loretto, Kentucky.

A state tourism board gave final approval Wednesday for tax rebates up to $3.4 million over a 10-year period, an incentive package that requires at least one-fourth of all visitors to live outside Kentucky.

Details of the plan were discussed in a closed session of the Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority before its vote. Maker's Mark would not disclose specifics, saying only in a prepared statement that it will provide more information in the coming months.

"We are continually investing in the Distillery, and this proposed facility will allow us to create even more exceptional experiences for the community, bourbon lovers, and visitors from around the world," the distillery team said.

Maker's Mark declined an interview request.

Publicly available documents from the state finance agency describe the proposal as a "tourism development project at the Star Hill Farm that will expand the overall visitor experience through cocktail and culinary education, fine dining, tasting room, and bourbon library."

Work would start this summer and be finished by early 2026. The venue would hire 21 full-time employees and six part-time workers.

To get the tax breaks, the facility must have at least $1 million in investment and be open 100 days or more.

Founded in the 1950s by the Samuels family, Maker's Mark produces its signature bottles dipped in red wax in Loretto as a brand owned by Suntory Global Spirits. Suntory's whiskey brands include Jim Beam, Booker's and Basil Hayden, among others.

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