kjbeggs Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 Sure several of you got this email, but for those who did not: Dear Ambassador, As always, we want to make sure you’re the first to know about interesting new developments down here at our National Historic Landmark distillery. And what I’m about to share with you is something I hope you’ll be as excited about as all of us are. You may remember back in 2010 when we introduced Maker’s 46®. We added French oak staves and a unique secondary finishing process to bring out the bold side of Maker’s™. In all the conversation and excitement that ensued, many of our friends asked us if we’d ever consider a single-barrel offering. Well, we’ve decided now is the time. But ours is going to be unlike anyone else’s. Starting this fall in a very limited number of select markets (sorry, but they made me say that), we’re introducing a program that will allow retailers of Maker’s Mark to actually create their own “perfect expression” of your favorite handmade bourbon. We’re calling it Maker’s Mark Private Select™, and it’s a program that works in a way very similar to how my dad, Bill Samuels, Jr., discovered Maker’s 46®, his own personal expression of Maker’s™. As with Maker’s 46, it will all start with fully matured Maker’s Mark® straight out of the barrel. We then will allow program participants to custom finish their whisky using their own chosen combination of five different types of wood staves, each of which accentuates a specific taste characteristic of our bourbon. It’s like being the Maker’s Master Distiller for a day. After nine additional weeks of aging, the result will be a barrel of Maker’s Mark®that is truly one-of-a-kind. Finally, the liquid will be bottled at cask strength, with handwritten details of the exact proof and stave combination right on the label. We’re still working out all the details and don’t expect to have any of this new whisky available to distribute in limited quantities until early 2016. But I wanted you to hear about it right away – even as I ask you to be a little patient as we get things up and running. As far as I know, there’s no other program like it, which makes me feel we’re up to something pretty special. I look forward to sharing more information with you as the project comes to fruition. As always, feel free to drop me a line and let me know your thoughts. Thanks again for your loyalty and support of Maker’s Mark. Regards, Rob Samuels Grandson of the Founders Chief Operating Officer Maker's Mark Distillery, Inc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 Oh good Lord this is brilliant. Customers paying a premium to be part of a focus group to determine the favorite finish. Whoever thought this one up deserves a promotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry in WashDC Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 (edited) Well, this is an interesting sales approach. Parsing what was written, it appears that MM will offer some retailers in some markets the opportunity to buy a barrel's worth (it doesn't say a specific barrel) of, presumably, cask strength, fully aged MM and THEN each retailer gets to tell MM which combination of five (so far unidentified) types of wood staves should be put in that MM for nine weeks (in new barrels? a big finishing cask? a small tun?) before it is bottled with handwritten labels containing handwritten info. Details to follow. I sure hope one such detail is what element of MM each type of stave and each combo of staves (one from pile A, three from pile C, 2 from pile D, etc.) has on the basic MM. See next paragraph WHY this is crucial.Some local retailers around here have, in the past, offered store "selections" picked by themselves or, in one case I know of, by the store owner who is "new to bourbon" as something to be consumed rather than sold - he's gangbusters on sales, not so much on flavor. Some of them need a customer tasting panel to help them choose as some of their choices have been terrible - not many, but at $80+ a pop . . . But then, they were "choosing" a specific barrel for bottling, special labeling, and sale instead of choosing which staves should be put in basic bourbon for nine weeks before it is bottled and specially labeled and sold. Or, am I too far out in the weeds to see what's going on? Am I overthinking this? Whatever, I still think this is a neat marketing idea. Edited October 6, 2015 by Harry in WashDC make singular & plural nouns & verbs match Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThirstyinOhio Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 Cleveland Whisky has started a very similar program with their Cleveland Underground label. You get to pick what wood(s) to use in finishing the whiskey....mind you their finishing is in an alternating pressure/vacuum system for a day and not a barrel for 9 weeks, but its the same idea. Custom wood finishing using a custom "recipe" with a custom label sold by the barrel to customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Santana Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 Cleveland Whisky has started a very similar program with their Cleveland Underground label. You get to pick what wood(s) to use in finishing the whiskey....mind you their finishing is in an alternating pressure/vacuum system for a day and not a barrel for 9 weeks, but its the same idea. Custom wood finishing using a custom "recipe" with a custom label sold by the barrel to customers.You're telling me there are people willing to buy a barrel of Cleveland Whisky? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BourbonJoe Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 How about just age it for 12 years and bottle it at 101 proof? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robertsccr5 Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 How about just age it for 12 years and bottle it at 101 proof?Stop making sense, Joe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Now Harry, let's be kind, after all Bill Sr. did invent Bourbon if what we're told is true. So we should be thankful we mere mortals are being offered the opportunity to have some input on how this already perfect elixir may be further enhanced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Good on Maker's for continuing to expand their portfolio. I'm very interested to see what the 5 wood options are going to be, and if they have any previous experience with each that can be used to help guide the selectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Wow, Maker's making another bold move toward becoming the distiller we've always hoped they would be.We always knew they could do so much more! Now, as Joe said...let's pray they take one more big step and put some age on something and bottle it at 100+ and/or barrel proof! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Well, they did do so much more back when the family still owned the place. The gold seal 101 proof comes to mind. I applaud Suntory's efforts to upgrade the mark though, the 5 1/2 year old is a good enough dram but not best effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 How about just age it for 12 years and bottle it at 101 proof?OMG this! Yes, this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry in WashDC Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Good on Maker's for continuing to expand their portfolio. I'm very interested to see what the 5 wood options are going to be, and if they have any previous experience with each that can be used to help guide the selectors.Oh, yes. I agree wholeheartedly. As I wrote, I like this idea - particularly allowing a cask strength MM a variety of finishes. I really like the MMCS currently available, enough to lightly hunt. BUT, my concern is that some retailers might be more interested in getting SOMEthing exotic on the shelves and it will be gone before we mere mortals learn just what attributes are associated with a particular finish the retailer put on the MM in the bottle. Given the consistency of MM over the past few years and, as Squire noted, Suntory's apparent interest in maintaining interest in the brand, I'm hoping MM is REALLY helpful to the selectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Count me among those anxious to NOT line up for this foolishness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Count me among those anxious to NOT line up for this foolishness.Curious Rich, what do you see as foolish in this? I can see where a finished bourbon may not be someone's cup of tea, but wondering where this lacks good sense? Particularly, with such limited info available on it at this time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulO Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 I don't think French oak or any other odd-ball stuff belongs in bourbon. When Weller went MIA around here, I tried MM46. It reminded me of vanilla extract. A couple years later I tried it again. I don't know if it's just me, but the vanilla extract taste seemed less pronounced the second time. I would pick Larceny or Weller over MM46 every time regardless of price.It would be great if MM re-released the gold top 101 proof. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Curious Rich, what do you see as foolish in this? I can see where a finished bourbon may not be someone's cup of tea, but wondering where this lacks good sense? Particularly, with such limited info available on it at this time?"Finished" in a used Cognac Barrel, or other Brandy... Or even a used Port Cask, or some other wine barrel; I could see.Finished with a "choice of wood staves" stuck in the Bourbon barrel? I just don't see a good reason to try a bottle while paying for the privilege...Especially not knowing what effect to even guess would be rendered by any of the choices, as opposed to any of the other choices.Seems to me like a very novel solution, desperately seeking a problem. Now, if someone wants to sign me up as a paid taster (Extremely Unlikely, I know), where they'd send me examples to taste and render an opinion on each...That I could do. I'd even do it for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BourbonJoe Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 You're right Rich, just another gimmick IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcgumbohead Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 This needs to option 6, should be the first option IMHO.How about just age it for 12 years and bottle it at 101 proof? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compliance Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Sign me up for BourbonJoe's barrel, I'll pass on the rest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 "Finished" in a used Cognac Barrel, or other Brandy... Or even a used Port Cask, or some other wine barrel; I could eFinished with a "choice of wood staves" stuck in the Bourbon barrel? I just don't see a good reason to try a bottle while paying for the privilege... Especially not knowing what effect to even guess would be rendered by any of the choices, as opposed to any of the other choices. Seems to me like a very novel solution, desperately seeking a problem. Now, if someone wants to sign me up as a paid taster (Extremely Unlikely, I know), where they'd send me examples to taste and render an opinion on each...That I could do. I'd even do it for free. Thanks for your response, Rich. The letter from Rob Samuels does seem to leave more questions than provide answers and hard details. Frankly, I thought it rather disjointed in its composition, and it seemed to be rushed to release, so to speak. As I wrote above, I wonder what the woods will be, and what guidance will be available from MM on their impacts, and I have a number of other questions. I eagerly await that info that Samuels promised. At this early time and with very limited information available, I cannot pass judgement on it, but rather, hope for good things. I can't conclude that it seems "like a very novel solution, desperately seeking a problem." Maybe, I'll feel that way about it when more comes to light, or if I possibly get a chance to select. But, not now. I ain't that jaded, yet. Instead, I appreciate their continued expansion of their line, and I'll continue to have a more positive outlook on what could be. As a bourbon enthusiast, I'm a glass half full (of bourbon of course ) kinda guy, I guess you could say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPPSmoker Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 As others have stated, there are so many questions with this program. As I read it, my understanding is that the retailer would not sample the bourbon until the finished product is bottled. We all know single barrels have their own characteristics. I just don't see how MM could guide a retailer with any reliable consistency as to the profiles the various staves (AND BOURBON) will eventually impart on the finished product. I would hate to spend $$ thinking the bourbon will have a certain profile and then it turns out to be some completely different.Oh well. I'm happy to see Maker's try something different. Sometimes it best to just kick back, relax, enjoy the ride and don't overthink things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 It seems likely the Makers fans will buy these fast just because they are different. Retailers might have more trouble getting stock than selling it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skiwez2 Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Still a newbie at this but squire is right. With the huge following makers has, it's not that big of a stretch to think that a percentage of those people are going to be willing to buy anything withe the MM name on it. Will be fun to see where it shows up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBoldBully Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Nothing to stop people from dangling their own wood in whatever whiskey, if they want to experiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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