How to Drink Bourbon Better

For a guy raised in Bourbon County, Kentucky—for a guy raised anywhere, actually—landing a gig as master distiller where the stuff dreams are made of. That dream is a reality for Greg Davis, a father of two, honorary Kentucky Colonel, and director of distillery operations at Maker’s Mark.

Davis says he got started in the booze-making business early. During college, he made his own wine and beer at home. He went on to study at the World Brewing Academy at Chicago’s Siebel Institute, followed by stints at a Nashville brewery, working in R&D for a fermentation sciences lab, and making bourbon at the Barton Distillery, which produces 1792—another spirit beloved by bourbon aficionados.

Since he joined Maker’s Mark in 2010, Davis says his biggest challenge has been “not screwing it up.” He says the secret to the iconic brand’s success—apart from its access to Kentucky’s famous limestone waters, which some say is a necessary ingredient for good bourbon—is the use of red winter wheat. It not only enhances the bourbon’s vanilla notes, but adds “a distinct taste and front-of-the-tongue finish,” Davis explains.

Here, he shares his tips for enjoying Kentucky bourbon—and explains what he reaches for when he’s not sipping Maker’s.