A Spirited Approach
Blake Layfield ’07, ’09 MS, ’16 PHD cultivates flavor from field to pour for Maker’s Mark.
As master distiller and head of innovations and blending for Maker’s Mark, Blake Layfield ’07, ’09 MS, ’16 PHD begins most workdays with a sip of world-famous bourbon. But his role extends far beyond quality control.
Layfield leads the 1,100-acre Star Hill Farm in Kentucky, which is home to the Maker’s Mark distillery and a hub for environmental research and regenerative agriculture, a practice that restores soil health naturally. He’s also charged with creating new products and experiences for bourbon lovers around the world.
“My day-to-day is pretty diverse,” says Layfield, who lives in Louisville, Ky., with his wife, Elizabeth Layfield ’09, and their two children. “And, to me, that’s really energizing.”
A typical day unfolds in a variety of ways: He might be launching a new product like Star Hill Farm Whisky, Maker’s Mark’s first American-wheat whiskey, as he did in April. Or, as he was in June, he could be in Paris with other master blenders for a roundtable discussion.
He might visit Star Hill’s white oak repository and work with researchers to identify the white oak strains most resistant to disease or climate change. Protecting the trees protects Maker’s Mark’s flavor because their bourbon is aged in white oak barrels.
The work, Layfield says, is a perfect blend of his lifelong interests and expertise. His fascination with how flavors develop was sparked by his mother’s homecooked meals, which featured locally grown foods.
If you treat the land right, you’ve got the right agricultural practices, then you get the most flavorful whiskey.
At NC State, he discovered food science, allowing him to explore the scientific processes behind flavor. Layfield started working for Suntory Global Spirits, which owns Maker’s Mark, in 2019 and was named master distiller in 2024.
His interest and knowledge in how the environment shapes flavor aligns with Maker’s Mark’s philosophy that the land influences the flavor of its grains, Layfield says. “If you treat the land right, you’ve got the right agricultural practices, then you get the most flavorful whiskey.”
Tell Us What You Think
Do you have a personal connection to this story? Did it spark a memory? Want to share your thoughts? Send us a letter, and we may include it in an upcoming issue of NC State magazine.
