Kentucky bourbon brand Maker's Mark has unveiled the World Wood Collection, a new travel-exclusive series celebrating the influence of oak from around the world.
The inaugural release, Expedition 01, is the first Maker's Mark whiskey to feature three oak finishes across three continents: Japanese Mizunara, French and American white oak staves. It makes its debut in October 2026 in partnership with Avolta in five selected airports worldwide – New York JFK, London Heathrow, Istanbul, Perth and Bengaluru – ahead of its wider roll-out next year.
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| Maker's Mark Expedition 01 travel-exclusive whiskey |
The launch marks another key step in Maker’s Mark’s strategy to expand and elevate its presence in the high-potential ultra-premium whisk(e)y segment and builds on the success of the Maker’s Mark Artist Series – City Edition introduced exclusively in travel retail earlier this year.
“Expedition 01 represents the kind of premium, story-driven whiskey experience that resonates with today’s global travellers,” said Vanessa Widmann, Managing Director, Global Travel Retail at Suntory Global Spirits. “With its exclusive availability in global travel retail, distinctive oak-forward story and premium presentation, it offers travellers a rare opportunity to discover a truly unique expression from Maker’s Mark – one that celebrates craftsmanship, exploration and the influence of exceptional oak.”
Retailing at $85, Expedition 01 brings together Japanese Mizunara, French and American white oak in a complex, balanced whisky in which every oak contributes its own distinctive character.
The World Wood Collection represents the evolution of Maker’s Mark’s wood finishing philosophy, introduced with Maker’s Mark 46, which demonstrated how oak staves could unlock new dimensions of flavour in bourbon while remaining true to the brand’s handmade heritage. Maker’s Mark has long treated oak as a key ingredient – not simply a container for its whisky, and has invested in advancing both the art of wood finishing and the stewardship of American white oak at Star Hill Farm, Kentucky.
"At Maker's Mark, we celebrate bourbon as an agricultural product and the universe of flavour that can be unlocked through nature – water, wheat, oak and time," said Rob Samuels, Managing Director and eighth-generation whiskey maker. "That belief has long guided our commitment to sustainable forestry and to protecting the future of American white oak. Through intentional wood finishing, The World Wood Collection explores exceptional oak from around the world to create a whiskey that expands the boundaries of flavour while staying true to our craft."
Initially available exclusively through Avolta travel retail doors ahead of Holiday 2026, Expedition 01 is bottled at 1L and 47.5%abv. It is presented in premium packaging inspired by the distinctive grain of each oak species, reinforcing the collection’s focus on craftsmanship and discovery. The launch will be supported by an in-store activation programme.
