Maker’s Mark’s 250th Anniversary limited-edition bourbon supports veteran farmers via Farmer Veteran Coalition. Available June 1 at $28.99 nationwide.
There will be no shortage of red, white, and blue bottles this summer. America’s 250th anniversary is going to generate a wave of patriotic packaging across every consumer category imaginable, and most of it will say nothing worth remembering.
Maker’s Mark’s limited-edition 250th Anniversary bottle is different — not because of the wax, though the white accent dip alongside the brand’s signature red and the blue rendition of its iconic seal is genuinely handsome — but because of what the bottle is actually funding. Beginning June 1, a portion of proceeds from every bottle will benefit Farmer Veteran Coalition, a national nonprofit that has spent 17 years helping U.S. veterans build careers in agriculture. To date, FVC has supported more than 58,000 veterans nationwide. That number is not decorative. It represents the quiet, unglamorous work of helping people who served this country find footing in a new kind of service — to the land.
Eight Generations, One Through Line
Rob Samuels is the eighth-generation whisky maker and managing director of Maker’s Mark. That lineage matters here not as a marketing credential but as context. When a family has been farming and distilling on the same Kentucky land since before the republic was two centuries old, their investment in the next generation of farmers carries a different weight than a corporate check written to a veterans charity.
“At Maker’s Mark, we’ve always believed that the character of our bourbon is a direct reflection of the land and the people who care for it,” Samuels said. “As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, we are proud to honor those who have served our country twice — first in uniform and now in the fields. Partnering with Farmer Veteran Coalition allows us to merge our passion for regenerative agriculture with a deep respect for our veterans, ensuring the next generation of farmers has the tools to thrive.”
That phrase — served twice — is the one worth sitting with. The transition from military service to agricultural work is not an obvious pivot. It requires capital, training, community, and patience. FVC’s Holistic Impactful Veteran Engagement program, known as H.I.V.E., is built to provide exactly that infrastructure.
“We’re deeply grateful for Maker’s Mark’s support of our H.I.V.E. Program, which is helping veterans build meaningful futures in agriculture,” said Jeanette Lombardo, CEO of the Farmer Veteran Coalition. “Through this partnership, we can equip more veterans with the training, resources, and community they need to successfully transition from service to farming and build strong, sustainable livelihoods.”
Regenerative Agriculture as Actual Practice
Maker’s Mark is both B Corp certified and Regenified certified — the latter a rigorous third-party verification of regenerative farming practices that remains genuinely rare in the American spirits industry. This is not a brand that added sustainability language to its website in 2021. The distillery operates Star Hill Farm in Loretto, Kentucky, which the brand describes as a commitment to being the most environmentally responsible homeplace in the world. In 2025, Star Hill Farm Whisky — the brand’s first wheat whisky — earned Estate Whiskey certification and inspired the Maker’s Mark Regenerative Alliance, a program designed to extend regenerative farming practices beyond the distillery’s own land into the broader agricultural community.
The partnership with FVC slots directly into that architecture. Richard Creppel, FVC Regional Director and U.S. Army veteran, framed it plainly: “This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to regenerative agriculture — practices that restore the land, strengthen rural communities, and ensure long-term sustainability. By investing in veteran farmers who are leading the way in these approaches, we are not only supporting their success today but helping to build a resilient agricultural system.”
Regenerative agriculture is not a trend Maker’s Mark is borrowing. It is the operating framework they are inviting veteran farmers into.
The Bottle
The Maker’s Mark 250th Anniversary limited-edition release is Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky bottled at 90 proof, with a suggested retail price of $28.99. Available June 1 at select retailers nationwide. Every bottle is hand-dipped — the white wax accent and blue seal applied by hand, as every Maker’s Mark bottle has always been.
This is not a collector’s bottle priced out of reach. At $28.99, it is priced to be opened, poured, and shared — which, given what it supports, is exactly the right call.
For more information, visit makersmark.com.
FAQ
What is the Maker’s Mark 250th Anniversary limited-edition bottle? It is a special release of Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky bottled at 90 proof, featuring the brand’s signature hand-dipped red wax accented with white wax and a blue rendition of its iconic seal — honoring America’s 250th anniversary. Available June 1 at select retailers nationwide at a suggested retail price of $28.99.
Who benefits from the Maker’s Mark 250th Anniversary bottle purchase? A portion of proceeds benefits Farmer Veteran Coalition, a national nonprofit that has helped more than 58,000 U.S. veterans build careers in agriculture through programs including the H.I.V.E. (Holistic Impactful Veteran Engagement) program and the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund.
What is Maker’s Mark’s connection to regenerative agriculture? Maker’s Mark is both B Corp certified and Regenified certified — a third-party verification of regenerative farming practices. The brand operates Star Hill Farm in Loretto, Kentucky, and launched the Maker’s Mark Regenerative Alliance to extend regenerative farming practices beyond its own distillery into the broader agricultural community.
Is Maker’s Mark a B Corp? Yes. Maker’s Mark holds both B Corp certification and Regenified certification, making it one of the few American spirits brands to hold both designations simultaneously.
The red wax has always been Maker’s Mark’s signature. This summer, the white and blue additions tell a story the brand has actually earned the right to tell — one that runs from Star Hill Farm in Kentucky to 58,000 veterans finding their footing in American soil. At $28.99, pour it with that in mind.
