Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021 FAE-01 Review

When Bob and I visited the Maker’s Mark distillery a few weeks ago, we picked up a bottle of the latest limited release in the Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series, FAE-01. We’ve tasted it a couple of times now, and we’ve really found it to be the most complex, fruit-forward, interesting bourbon expression we’d tried in a while. I absolutely love this one, y’all.

The Wood Finishing Series was launched in 2019 as an extension of the Maker’s 46 and Private Selection expressions. which finish fully mature Maker’s Mark bourbon in barrels made of a combination of specially-selected charred and toasted oak staves to produce more intense and pronounced flavors. The 2019 (RC6) and 2020 (SE4xPR5) were each made using distinct wood profiles. The first release of 2021, FAE-01, uses virgin American oak staves that have been toasted on one side and left raw on the other, coaxing out both strong earthy flavors and bright, fruity notes.

The release’s name comes from the fatty acid esters which are formed throughout the distilling and fermentation process. Here, the non-chill filtering process favored by Maker’s Mark is crucial. “Non-chill-filtering allows long-chain fatty acid esters (FAEs) to remain in the liquid, which contributes to the creamier mouthfeel and helps preserve and elevate the fruit notes,” a distillery press release explains. The result is really something special.

Maker’s Mark Director of Innovation Jane Bowie noted in the same press release that this expression “tastes just like a barrel warehouse smells.” This is a stunningly succinct and accurate description of FAE-01. All the delightful notes that hit your nose on a warehouse tour are captured in the flavor of this bourbon. It’s a definite must-sample for bourbon lovers. If you run across a bottle of this one, you should definitely pick it up!

FAE-01 retails at $60. A companion expression, FAE-02, will be released in the fall.

We obviously had to taste this one a couple of times to get it all right.

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021 FAE-01 Tasting Notes

Mash Bill: 70% corn; 16% red winter wheat; 14% malted barley

Finishing Wood: 10 virgin toasted American oak staves

Proof: 110.6 (cask strength)

Nose: fruit-forward notes of blackberries, bing cherries, and figs; opens to molasses and a strong note of rickhouse wood.

Palate: bing cherries and lemon zest, demamara sugar, toasted oak, and plums.

Finish: creamy with a lingering balance of earthiness and sweetness.

Dolly Parton Songteller Book Review

There’s never been a more wonderful time to be a Dolly Parton fan, y’all. All of a sudden, the whole world is figuring out what some of us have known for years, which is that Dolly Rebecca Parton of Sevier County, Tennessee is The Actual Queen of All The Things. She’s celebrated as an icon and a philanthropist and a businesswoman. She’s been on TV and Netflix and a quirky little podcast. And it looks like she might just save our lives.

Whatever your conception of Dolly — her over-the-top appearance, her amazing capacity for kindness, her rather newly-anointed status as America’s Patron Saint — her original role is as a songwriter. In Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, Dolly notes that, no matter her accomplishments as an actress and performer, she thinks of herself primarily as a songwriter.

Songteller is a celebration of Dolly’s career as a songwriter, which has spanned over six decades. The book showcases dozens of her most popular and memorable songs, with Dolly providing memories and backstory to each song. The result is a fascinating and visually stunning look at Dolly’s amazing career as a performer and storyteller.

The hardcover coffee table book is a must-have for serious fans of Dolly or of country music. The book features well-known stories like the inspirations behind Jolene or I Will Always Love You, but also dives into stories that may be new even to devotees. (I particularly loved the story of Merle Haggard’s unrequited crush on Dolly!) The Audible version of the book brings an intimacy to the stories, as you actually hear Miss Dolly recalling each song, while the book provides stunning visual accompaniment. Both hardback and audio versions are a fascinating experience for anyone who loves Dolly Parton, Appalachian culture, country music, or just heartwarming and wholesome stories of good music. Both the hardcover and audio versions are 5/5 must-reads!!

Margie Samuels Commemorative Maker's Mark Bottle

This weekend, Bob and I made a special trip to Loretto to visit the Maker’s Mark Distillery to pick up a collectible bottle. Now, y’all know that we love bourbon at HerKentucky HQ, but we aren’t big on collector’s bottles. Our attitude has always been that we don’t see the point of a bottle of bourbon that you can’t drink. This bottle, however, was so special that I had to have one to keep in my collection. This bottle commemorates Mrs. Margie Samuels.

Paintings commemorating Maker’s Mark Founders Bill Samuels, Sr., and Margie Samuels, Maker’s Mark Distillery

Mrs. Samuels was, of course, the wife of Maker’s Mark founder Bill Samuels, Sr. and the mother of Maker’s chairman emeritus Bill Samuels, Jr. While Mrs. Samuels never held an official title at the distillery, she came up with the iconic red wax seal, hand-lettered label, and bottle shape that sets Maker’s Mark apart. She also came up with the name “Maker’s Mark”, derived from the term for the markings that identified the creators on her collection of fine English pewter. In helping her husband create the brand for his new bourbon in the 1950s, Mrs. Samuels quietly revolutionized bourbon branding and marketing.

Mrs. Samuels’s ideas about historic preservation and distillery hospitality are the basis of the modern bourbon tourism industry. When Bill Sr. purchased an abandoned, pre-Prohibition distillery in Marion County, KY, Margie, by all accounts, “pestered him” about renovating the Victorian-style buildings on the site. Of course, she persevered. A few years later, we’re told, she decided that the distillery site shouldn’t just be a factory — it should be a welcoming spot where bourbon lovers could visit. With Kentucky’s bourbon distilleries receiving over a million visits in 2019 alone, it’s safe to say Margie was onto something with this idea.

I love that Mrs. Samuels’s legacy has been celebrated so much in recent years. She was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2014, one of the first women to attain that status. Her presence is felt in so many ways at the distillery — there are many photos of her around the Maker’s campus, and her beloved historic buildings still stand. You can even buy t-shirts with her imaged emblazoned on the front. (Of course, I had to have one of these.) Every year, Maker’s Mark celebrates International Women’s Day with tributes to Margie Samuels, recognizing her incredible contributions to the modern bourbon industry.

Mrs. Samuels has been a professional inspiration to me as well. Several years ago, Bob and I toured Maker’s Mark when I found myself particularly drawn to the display of Margie’s photo and notebook. I’d heard parts of her story before, but in that moment I was so taken aback by her impact on the Maker’s Mark brand. It was the first step of realizing that, as a writer, I wanted to help tell Kentucky women’s stories and that I wanted to write about bourbon. It’s one more reason that I’m celebrating Mrs. Margie Samuels today.

The Margie Samuels Founders’ Series Bottle is available only at the Maker’s Mark Distillery. $25 of the purchase price of every Margie Samuels Bottle will be donated to Bellarmine University’s Rubel School of Business to fund scholarships for entrepreneurs who are women of color.

Lilly Pulitzer Let's Get Together Print

Today is International Women’s Day, and I love the way Lilly Pulitzer is celebrating the event! The latest Lilly print, Let’s Get Together, is the first Lilly print to feature women of color. I absolutely love the idea that Black women and white women are depicted together, enjoying a traditional Lilly beach scene! It’s a great step toward representation and inclusion, and I’m so excited to wear this print. Here’s to unity, y’all!

Why Kendra Scott Inspires Me

A few years ago, I hosted a shopping event at the Summit in Lexington. Now, if you’ve ever been to the Summit, you know that Draper James, where I was hosting, is only two storefronts away from the Kendra Scott store. That night, it seems, there was a group of executives from Kendra Scott’s corporate headquarters in Kentucky to visit the local stores. A few of those folks discretely stopped by Draper James. We said hello, as I was standing near the door, and vaguely familiar looking woman with lovely style and a shy smile said softly, “Hi, I’m Kendra.” Of course, it was the lady whose hobby of crafting jewelry in her spare bedroom has grown to an eponymous jewelry line. Now, I’d owned a few pieces of her jewelry before that, and I’d even hosted an event or two at Kendra Scott stores, but Kendra was so kind and lovely and down to earth as she said hello, posed for photos, and quietly shopped that evening that she earned a fan for life.

I was so impressed with Ms. Scott’s unassuming manner that I researched the company a little more. I knew that, for those of us who love supporting and attending charity events, Kendra Scott is a great corporate partner. I didn’t realize, however, that the company has donated over $30 million to charitable causes since 2010. I was stopped in my tracks when I read a Forbes interview which featured a simple and compelling quote from Ms. Scott: “For me, our core value of philanthropy started with three simple words: ‘You do good.’ My stepfather spoke those three words to me in the midst of his battle with brain cancer, and I have carried them with me every day since.” As I’ve worked with the Lexington and Louisville Kendra Scott stores, as well as the philanthropic giving manager for my area, I’ve realized that this isn’t a company that does some charitable giving for PR purposes — it’s truly ingrained into the company’s mission. Of course, one of my goals for HerKentucky is to help promote the mission of local charities and hopefully assist in their fundraising activities, which is why you often see me talking about my love for KS jewelry on this site and my social channels!

Top: Draper James | Necklaces: here and here (c/o Kendra Scott)

Ms. Scott is not only an impressive philanthropist; she’s also an inspiring entrepreneur. She started her jewelry line in 2002 with a $500 estimate; by 2016, her company was valued at $1 billion. I’ve always adored that KS jewelry is at a realistic price point for everyday wear — the company itself was apparently driven by Ms. Scott’s inability to find colorful gemstones she could afford for everyday wear. How wonderful that this mission led to such success, and even to the founding of an academic program for female entrepreneurs at Ms. Scott’s alma mater! I love knowing that a company with which I frequently partner was founded by a woman who ranks as one of Forbes’ Self-Made Women in Business.

Thanks so much to Kendra Scott stores for helping me celebrate International Women’s Day with a series of interviews with Kentucky women who inspire me. And thanks so much to Ms. Scott herself for inspiring me with her gracious manners, her commitment to philanthropy, and her incredible story of entrepreneurship.

An Interview with Dr. Rynetta Davis of Really Rynetta

Monday is International Women’s Day and I’ve teamed up with Kendra Scott for a week of interviews that celebrate the Kentucky women who inspire me. Today’s interview is with my friend Rynetta Davis of the fashion blog Really Rynetta.

Rynetta is so awesome, y’all. I’ve gotten to know her over the past few months and she is so smart and kind and has such a beautiful, positive outlook. Her background is in academia — she holds a PhD in African-American literature! — and her blog is full of beautifully-styled outfits that work for real life. I was first interested in her blog because she lives in Lexington and styles many of the same Draper James, Lilly Pulitzer, and J Crew pieces that I own and love. After getting to know her a bit, I found that she’s an incredibly kind and supportive friend, and so much fun!

Thanks so much to Kendra Scott for helping bring the Kentucky Women Who Inspire Me series to life — stay tuned to HerKentucky.com and my Instagram this week for previews of the newest Kendra Scott jewelry collection and a fun shopping event!

(All photos of Rynetta are © Kirstie Dunston Photography)

HerKentucky: Please tell me a little bit about yourself and how you wound up in Lexington.

Rynetta Davis: I am Rynetta Davis and I am happily married to my best friend, biggest cheerleader, and favorite person on the planet, Toby. We've been married for 18 of the best years of my life! I was born and raised in Columbia, SC. I attended Clark Atlanta University, a prestigious HBCU, in Atlanta, George. I earned a B.A. in English at CAU in 1998. After graduation, my parents packed up my belongings and moved me to Lexington, KY to start graduate school at the University of Kentucky. I earned a Ph.D. in English, specifically African American Literature, from U.K. in August 2006. We moved to Rochester, New York for two years (from 2006-2008) for my first job. I was a Visiting Assistant Professor/Presidential Fellow at SUNY-Brockport. We returned to Lexington in July of 2008 and I worked as an Assistant Professor in the English Department at U.K. from 2008-2020.

HK: Please tell us about your blog and social channels,  Really Rynetta.

RD: My blog originally started as jcrewismyfavstore in 2009. I rebranded the blog and my social channels and changed my name to "Really Rynetta" in September 2019 so that I would be the center of my brand. My blog and my social channels reflect who I am at the core: I am just a girl who loves her amazing husband and a cute, colorful outfit. My goal is to empower women to love themselves, to love their bodies, and to love what they wear without focusing on what everyone else is doing. I post my daily outfits on my Instagram page, really.rynetta, and I post reviews, as well as new arrivals favorites, and outfits on my blog, reallyrynetta.com

HK: You’ve recently included some really fantastic resources about racial justice on your social media accounts. I know that, as a blogger, the events of the past year have really made me more aware of the content I post and a little less concerned about offending anyone. What does being “authentic” or “real” about social and political issues on social media mean to you?

RD: As a Black woman, social justice is a lifestyle for me. Advocating for racial justice is interwoven into every aspect of my life. So, it's natural for me to talk about how daily events, systemic racism, and politics inform the way that I think, live, and move through the world. Discussing these topics allows my readers to see the "real" me. For me, authenticity is about pulling back the curtain and exposing issues and experiences that others are often shielded from (because of white privilege) even having to consider.

HK: How has your life — professional, personal, side hustle, etc. — changed during the past year? I’m so fascinated by how each of us are pushing through during “these troubled times.”

RD: During the past year, my life has not changed drastically because I have typically worked from home three days a week for most of my academic career. Moreover, being an academic often means spending lots of time in front of a computer or in an archive in isolation. What has changed is how I engage with others. I leave the house for quick trips to the mall, to the doctor, or to the hair salon (masked up, with sanitizer in hand, while adhering to social distancing guidelines). Other than that, I have spent the last year at home, which has been challenging because I am an extrovert to the core. I LOVE engaging with others.

HK: What is the best piece of advice you have for others?

RD: The best piece of advice that I have for others is to love yourself and to block out the noise from the outside. What matters most is what YOU think about yourself. Embrace who you are and live confidently.

Thanks so much to Rynetta for the interview, and to Kendra Scott for helping me bring this series to life!

An Interview with Danielle Rudy Davis of LouWhatWear

Next Monday is International Women’s Day and I’ve teamed up with Kendra Scott for a week of interviews that celebrate the Kentucky women who inspire me. Today’s interview is with my friend Danielle Rudy Davis, co-owner of Lemonade PR and blogger at LouWhatWear.

Danielle is so knowledgeable about PR campaigns and Internet trends. She always has the funniest takes on celebrity culture and especially on reality TV, and she knows absolutely everything that’s going on in Louisville! Danielle is a great friend and an absolutely invaluable professional mentor; I so value her input!

Thanks so much to Kendra Scott for helping bring the Kentucky Women Who Inspire Me series to life — stay tuned to HerKentucky.com and my Instagram this week for previews of the newest Kendra Scott jewelry collection and a fun shopping event!

HerKentucky: Please tell me a little bit about yourself and how you wound up in Louisville.

Danielle Davis: How much time do you have? No seriously, I’ll give the quick version. I was born in Louisville, but my parents got divorced when I was three years old and my mom packed up and moved to Miami, Florida. So I grew up and went to school in Miami but I spent a ton of time in Louisville visiting my Dad and grandparents. I lived here every summer, so it’s always held a very special place in my heart.

Loved it so much that I decided to go to University of Kentucky for college. Moved here when I graduated (during the great recession) thinking it would be for a couple years. Met a boy, got married, three kids and too many Derby Days to count later, it’s home.

HK: You are a seriously busy lady! You have a full-time job as the co-founder of a PR agency, you’re a wife and mother, and you have a side hustle as a blogger and influencer. How do you get it all done?

DD: The short answer is that I don’t. Truly, balancing it all is nearly impossible. Whenever one area thrives, another usually takes a bit of a backseat. I think our society puts such a premium on women “doing it all” and we’re expected to manage it all while looking perfectly put together. It’s a lot of pressure.


I try my best to keep juggling all the balls in the air but at some point, you end up dropping one. Right now, unfortunately that’s been the blog. I love it so much and it’s such a passion project of mine but with Lemonade being busy and trying to make my kids a priority, I’ve fallen behind with it. 


HK: Tell us a little about LouWhatWear, both how it started and how it's evolved.

DD: Before I started Lou What Wear, I had a blog called Secondary Embarrassment where I wrote long-form, snarky recaps of The Bachelor and Bachelorette. I was a journalism major/English minor in college, and I missed writing. It became an outlet to share my perspective outside of my 9 to 5 job. Honestly, at times I think I should have kept up with it because it was really growing but the recaps were LONG and they took three or four hours to write. It started to take the fun out of watching but it got me really into the blogging world.


I started following a lot of personal style blogs and loved the whole concept but one thing I noticed is that there wasn’t really anything here in Louisville. Lots of people were doing it on the coasts but no one was talking to our unique consumer. It was 2011 and the Courier-Journal had just shut down its style section, so I saw an opportunity. My friend Kelly came up with the name and from day one I invested in making it look professional. I hired a design duo to do the logo and website – I wanted to make sure it was something sustainable. I originally started by taking pictures of my friends at events and parties as well as sharing really locally focused shopping info.

I started it before Instagram, before being an “influencer” was a thing. It was just a way for me to connect with people, be a little creative and share my interests outside of work. Eventually I started sharing my own personal style and it’s grown and changed as my life has.

HK: I love that you include so much real-life, not-always-perfectly-curated content in your blog and social media along with the pretty pictures. Of course, I’m here for the #FREEBRITNEY and hard seltzer content, but I also love when you post about the often-hard realities of being a working mom or the hard truths of the racial, socioeconomic and political tensions here in Louisville. I know that, as a blogger, the events of the past year have really made me more aware of the content I post and a little less concerned about offending anyone. Tell me a little about what being “authentic” or “real” on social media means to you.

DD: Well first off, I appreciate that more than you know.

For a while, I tried to keep up with the Joneses but gah, it’s exhausting trying to be something you’re not. I’m sure this is something I fail at regularly but one of my goals is to be the same online as I am in real life. So yes, I will talk your ear off about Britney in real life, but I also want to go beyond that. I want to talk about how hard it is to manage the responsibilities of being a mother while also trying to excel in your career. I want to discuss the real issues in our city, the lack of funding and attention to underserved neighborhoods and the 9th street divide.

I think working in a field where you’re required to stay up to date with the latest news has made it feel more natural for me than maybe for others. I think everyone has their own unique perspective and I do my best to share mine. I will say though, people on the internet have OPINIONS. And all of that commentary certainly elicits some strong, even mean, responses.


At the end of the day, I try to be myself. I’m irreverent and depend on humor to make it through tough times. I’m also brash and certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. I’ve realized being everything to everyone is something I am terrible at and instead, I try to lean in to who I am and hope people will appreciate it.

Danielle and her husband Drew love Derby more than just about anyone you know!

HK: For anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure of meeting you, I don’t know how to describe how much your face lights up when the word “Derby” is mentioned. Please tell me a little about how much you and Drew love the Kentucky Derby and the role that Derby fashion plays on your blog in spring months.

The Kentucky Derby is simply the best. It’s my absolute favorite time of year and there’s just something so special about our city at Derby time. And actual Derby day is the cherry on top.

I went to my first Derby in 2004 and I’ve been to the track on the first Saturday in May every year since but two. My daughters were both born in mid-May and even being MASSIVELY pregnant couldn’t stop me.

I think people outside of Kentucky have a perception of Derby but you can’t really understand it until you’ve been here. There’s so many ways to experience it and enjoy it. You can go absolutely wild partying in the third turn of the infield, and you could be surrounded by actual royalty in certain areas. There’s something about being there, singing ‘My Old Kentucky Home’ with 100,000+ people with a Mint Julep in hand that is so unique and special. It’s unlike any other sporting event.

And then the fashion! It’s not all floral dresses and church hats, it’s so much more. I realized early in my blogging career that there weren’t many resources out there showing how people really dress at the track. And nothing breaks my heart more than seeing a girl dressed to the nines realize she’s going to be up to her ankles in mud in the infield. I wanted to be a resource for everyone from people coming for the first time to people going for their 21st time.

My Derby series has really been what set me apart initially. Now there are so many more bloggers and many of the amazing local bloggers here do such great Derby content but when I started, it was a chance to really share that true enthusiasm with an audience that was being totally ignored or pandered to with stereotypical choices.

HK: How has the past year changed your blog and life? I know you added Red the dog to the family, and he’s pretty adorable!

DD: The past year has been a lot. I love my kids but there’s a reason why I never stayed home with them. I am TERRIBLE at being a stay-at-home mom and even worse at being a teacher. I lack the patience, creativity and motherly instincts to fill their days in a way that fills their minds and imaginations. So that whole thing was really tough in those early days… which is probably why I broke down and got a dog!

One thing I did on the blog side was to check in daily on IG for my Corona Captain’s Log posts. It was a place for me to talk really candidly about everything from my kids driving me crazy to registering to vote. As with everything I do, I tried to bring some humor to the situation especially since most of the time, laughing was the only thing keeping me from crying.

As tough as it’s been though, we’ve been incredibly lucky throughout this and I have no place to complain. After a couple tough months, our business Lemonade (that I co-own with my business partner Lynsey Trager), is doing really well and my kids have been lucky enough to be in school on-and-off for the last year. I’ve pivoted a lot of my content on the blog to be more focused on who I am now and not who I want to be. It’s given me more leeway to be myself, share my true passions and connect more deeply with people (and I guess, piss some off even more!)

HK: What’s the best piece of advice you have for others?

DD: Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. A lot of times when I doubt myself or start having anxiety about what I should be doing, I go back to that saying.

That and - “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Whenever I get overwhelmed (which is frequently), I go back to that and instead of getting into a worry spiral, I try to do something productive towards solving the problem that’s stressing me out.

Thanks so much to Danielle for the interview and to Kendra Scott for working with me to bring this series to life. You can find Danielle on Instagram, Facebook, and her blog.