Maker's Mark Private Retailer Selection?

[sob0728]

A local retailer told me they were getting a private barrel selection of Maker's Mark in early 2014. They have already done the selection from their samples and picked out the barrel. Is this a new thing for Maker's? I have not previously heard of this or seen any private selection bottles around.

[mosugoji64]

Never heard of MM having a barrel selection program, but I'm intrigued by the idea of a MM SB. Dale, any information on this?

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[Restaurant man]

There is no such program available in GA. May be elsewhere but I've never heard of it or seen a privately selected bottle of makers. Aren't they on a shortage?

[squire]

Seems like we should be asking the local retailer how he found out about this program.

[callmeox]

Since they rotate barrel positions in their warehouses to ensure a consistent product, a bottle from a single barrel of MM should taste just like a bottle from a batch.

:rollseyes:

[squire]

That's right, they never vary, tour guide told us so.

[sob0728]

Well, hopefully I'll get a chance to test their theory. But the general info on this thread is making me think the person I talked to was misinformed and said "Maker's Mark" but may have meant Four Roses or Buffalo Trace. Since no one has seen or heard of a retailer single barrel from MM it seems unlikely this random store would be getting one.

[PaulO]

Tell the retailer we want it barrel proof and non chill filtered. A couple more years in the rickhouse wouldn't hurt either. :cool:

[squire]

And samples, we want samples.

[hn4bourbon]

Tough crowd, us...

[P&MLiquorsEric]

Doubtful. Makers wants to put out makers. Special editions are in special packaging only.

With the shortage issue right now, I can't see that adding more variation to the product line is something they will do until they catch up.

[Old Lamplighter]

Doubtful. Makers wants to put out makers. Special editions are in special packaging only.

With the shortage issue right now, I can't see that adding more variation to the product line is something they will do until they catch up.

FWIW, I agree with the majority here - especially due to the shortage issues as Eric states. MM is pretty entrenched in their way of doing things even when there was no shortage...and hard to argue with their success over the years.

[squire]

Of course they have put out other editions in the past, Gold 101 proof domestically and the Black 8 year old 94 proof for export. I should think the current Makers 46 counts as a different expression as well.

So, yes they can and yes they have but they seem to do best by staying with the core product.

[shoshani]

Of course they have put out other editions in the past, Gold 101 proof domestically and the Black 8 year old 94 proof for export. I should think the current Makers 46 counts as a different expression as well.

So, yes they can and yes they have but they seem to do best by staying with the core product.

Maker's did one thing right. They took bourbon geeks who've been longing for the return of the old 101 proof expression, and made us all pretty damn glad we've got at least the 90 proof one.

[sutton]

I give them credit - they picked their market and have stuck with it. Enthusiast bottlings are interesting to us and might help with brand awareness to the general market, but our market is very small and they, at least to this point, see no reason to deviate given the success of their current approach. However, I think the launch of Maker's 46 might at least hint at a questioning of this thinking, even if just a toe in the water kind of approach. So ... maybe ... some things more interesting to us could be coming down the road. Success breeds complacency and never lasts forever; you always have to challenge your assumptions to ride the wave of the market.

[squire]

The Makers fans I know don't want another expression.

[keith18]

Heh, absolutely. GIVE US WHAT WE WANT MM!

[Guy Debord]

It's easy to say that Maker's introduced me to bourbon, but like many here, once you branch out you leave it alone. I poured a glass of Maker's neat this past weekend for the heck of it, and found it super thin and young tasting. I then poured a WellerSR and thanked these very boards as I sipped.

[fishnbowljoe]

The Makers fans I know don't want another expression.

[squire]

The 101 was my choice back in the day but the Makers fans I know now are, well, like the JD fans I know if you get my drift.

[BFerguson]

Keep us posted on the developments with this SOB.

While I think it's unlikely that they would do this, stranger things have happened.

B

[sailor22]

Makers sells a lot of whiskey and has a loyal consumer base but has painted itself into a corner as far as the lucrative high mark up premium market is concerned.

If you have been saying that anything over 4 yrs is overaged how do you market an extra aged premium? If you have been saying that you take pains to insure that every barrel tastes the same how do you sell "special" barrels to retailers?

Finishing your product is one option, see Makers 46. Maybe you could make the case that very occasionally there are a few barrels that are just too good to batch and you are allowing very select retailers to bottle them and upcharge for the product at retail.

I have heard rumors about a Makers barrel program also but it was from a distributor who may have been whishing more than reporting.

[squire]

Well, Jack has come out with a fair amount of different stuff and their fans aren't outside the gates with pitchforks and torches.