Hey there friends!

As an FYI, I want to let you know that Maker's Mark Distillery will be on shut down from August 11th from September 10th for routine maintenance and clean up. Tours are still available, but there will be no mashing during that time.

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th!

Maker's Mark Distillery is pleased to announce the hiring of Greg Davis as our Director of Distillery Operations! Greg is replacing the vacancy left by our friend Denny Potter who left our little distillery in Loretto back in March, for an opportunity to work at Cruzan Rum in St. Croix, USVI.

Greg has extensive experience in the bourbon industry and is coming to us from the Tom Moore Distillery (formerly known as Barton's), where he has been the Master Distiller for the last 10 years. While at Tom Moore, Greg Davis was instrumental in creating the company's first premium bourbon, 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, and also making improvements to the operation that resulted in significant effeciencies and cost savings.

Please join us as we congratulate and welcome Greg to the team!

Be on the lookout for a black over red wax dipped 750s to land in package good stores surrounding the Chicago area. 1400 cases will be shipped to Illinois  in the next week or so!

Okay, so not exactly.

But, if you'd like to get a look at our recap video to see what the big event was all about, please visit  http://makersmark.com/AmbWeekend2010 - who knows, maybe you'll find your own smiling face among the many awesome Ambassadors who joined us?!

Thanks again to everyone who made the trek, we couldn't do what we do without you!

Emily

We received an e-mail the other day from a long-time fan of ours from California. Attached to his e-mail were the images below of a postal mail correspondence that he and Bill Samuels, Jr., carried on for the better part of a year, after The Wall Street Journal ran a story on Maker’s Mark. I asked Mr. Samuels to give us his thoughts on Maker's Mark being sort of the first to start a "Friend Us" communication with our consumers, and here's what he said:

In the beginning (1958) and for more than 20 years thereafter, all of Maker's customers lived in or around Kentucky and had learned about dad's "new bourbon" from a friend. That was just the way father liked it as he didn't care too much for advertising or marketing. He just never cared much for the idea of trying to sell something to someone who wasn't interested.

Somehow, over the years (1958 – 1980) my father managed to get to know personally most of our customers. Thank goodness, too his personal touch kept our little distillery afloat.

On August 1, our Kentucky bubble was burst.

The Wall Street Journal ran a front page story about our little distillery in Loretto, and the secret was out. Phone calls, letters, faxes, more phone calls, more letters, more faxes kept pouring in. Suddenly, there was a lot of interest in what we were doing - dad and I answered every call, every fax and every piece of mail that we could over the next 15 years. That interest in what we were doing here at the home office continued to grow steadily.

By 1995, we realized that we had a problem on our hands. Unlike in Kentucky where we knew just about every one of our customers by name, we then had customers in such faraway lands as Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami - and we didn't know a single soul out there. So, then we got worried.

While having cocktails with a friend one evening, I was venting a bit about how great it was to have all this new business but that somehow the "idea" of what we were doing sharing our story, getting to know our customers, our friends was getting lost. New markets were emerging, but we had lost personal contact.

He suggested creating an Ambassador program. Using available technology, we could allow far-off brand friends to connect with the people and the place who make their whisky. I took his advice, and a few years later the Ambassador program was launched.

A special thanks to everyone who has raised their hand and said they wanted to be involved. It's absolutely the most fun we have, next to making your bourbon.  – Bill

Our friend Tom Fischer over at BourbonBlog.com sent this video our way.  Chef John Varanese reuses Maker's Mark barrel heads and bungs to smoke meats on the grill at Varanese restaurant in Louisville, KY. 

Recycling never looked so tasty. Yum!

Maker's Mark Barrel Smoked Pork from Bourbon Blog on Vimeo.

We have heard from some of our loyal customers that they are upset with the changes implemented for the annual Keeneland Charitable Bottle signing this year. Unfortunately, the circumstances are out of our control, and here’s why.

With the popularity of this year’s honoree, University of Kentucky Basketball Coach John Calipari, Keeneland decided to institute a lottery system that will take place on Tuesday night, April 6 for 1,200 spots in line for the April 9 signing. Their reasons are to maintain crowd control and security. This change is solely Keeneland’s decision, in which Maker’s Mark had no input. It’s their facility, we are their guests and have no say in the matter.
 

The other change this year is for those who do get a ticket for the signing (1,200 tickets, just like last year) – they will be limited to one bottle. The reason for this is that Coach Calipari simply cannot sign for the length of time it has taken in years past.

Our most sincere apologies,

Bill Samuels, Jr.
President/CEO
Maker’s Mark Distillery

Ticket Distribution Process Will Include Pep Rally, Festivities Surrounding New Lottery-Style Process

Keeneland is changing the ticketing process for fans interested in having their 2010 Maker’s Mark Mile commemorative bottle signed by UK Basketball Coach John Calipari. Because of the limited time scheduled for this year’s April 9 bottle signing – Coach Calipari is available to sign bottles for two hours -- this year’s process includes a lottery-style giveaway for the 1,200 available tickets to the bottle signing.

The ticketing process will take place three days in advance of the actual signing at an event —on Tuesday, April 6, beginning at 11 p.m. and featuring a pep rally, music and festivities.  Only fans who secure a ticket in advance will be able to have their bottle signed.

“With the popularity of Coach Cal, the enthusiasm of the Big Blue Nation – and, understandably, the Coach’s limited time to sign during the recruiting season -- we felt it was important to create a process that made it is as fair and reasonable as possible for everyone involved, while also creating a fun, festive atmosphere,” said Keeneland President and CEO Nick Nicholson.

Here’s how the new process will work.

• On Tuesday, April 6 beginning at 6 p.m., the first 1,200 fans will be allowed admittance to Keeneland’s Keene Barn and Entertainment Center.
• At 11 p.m., Keeneland will begin giving tickets away to the up to 1,200 fans in attendance.
• The tickets will be assigned lottery-style—not first-come, first-served.
• The event will include music and a pep rally.
• The Keeneland Barn and Entertainment Center is located inside Gate 1, the entrance across from the Man O’ War Boulevard. All traffic must enter through Gate 1, as Gate 2 and Gate 3 will be closed.
Once the tickets are distributed on Tuesday evening, fans should depart and then return—with tickets in hand—on Friday, April 9. Fans with tickets may begin lining up at 6:30 a.m. on Friday in order as assigned by their ticket number.

There is a limit of one bottle per person this year.

For more details about the ticket distribution and bottle signing process, please go to http://Keeneland.com 

 

This year's Keeneland bottle has been announced - to the Maker's Mark Ambassador's FIRST!

Building on the past success of the Maker’s Mark/Keeneland charitable bottle series that supports projects at the University of Kentucky, Maker’s Mark and Keeneland are continuing the program with the celebration of UK basketball coach John Calipari, whose likeness will be featured on the bottle this spring.

The popular coach will team up with University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, Maker's Mark and Keeneland to raise money for a unique extension program highlighting the performing arts for elementary school children throughout the Commonwealth.

"It's an honor to team with Maker's Mark and the university in this unique fundraising opportunity to help benefit the UK Symphony Orchestra Outreach Program," said Coach Calipari. "I'm not sure the world is ready for my face on a bottle, but if it helps the university, I'm all for it. I hope all our great fans will support this worthy effort."

Maker’s Mark will donate proceeds from the sales – estimated to be about $300,000 from 24,000 bottles – to an extension program that is bringing the UK Symphony Orchestra and students from the UK School of Music into public schools and communities throughout Kentucky. UK is in the process of securing matching grants.

Bottles will hit the shelves in Kentucky only, on April 2nd, 2010. Suggested retail price of $49 if retailers take their normal mark-up.

Maker's Mark will announce signing info for this year's event as soon as it becomes available. Please note that this year's signing will be much different than in year's past.

Maker’s Mark President Bill Samuels Jr. said, "John Calipari brings so much excitement to Kentucky and he deserves to be honored for the phenomenal results he achieved with the men’s basketball program in such a short period of time. More important is his dedication to the betterment of the University of Kentucky as an educational institution and achieving Dr. Todd’s goals for UK. Cal's enthusiasm is contagious and is a wonderful way to show how the success of his basketball program can support the greater good of the university and education throughout the Commonwealth."

For the first time, the Maker’s Mark bottle, which commemorates the Lane’s End Stakes at Turfway Park, will honor an entire team: the 1990 World Series champion Cincinnati Reds.  This limited edition bottle is the seventh in a series honoring Turfway’s Kentucky Derby prep race.

The 2010 bottle pays tribute to the 20th anniversary of the Reds’ wire-to-wire season and stunning four-game sweep of the Oakland A’s.  The label of the 375 ml bottle features the famous photo, taken by then director of publicity Jon Braude, of the champions celebrating on the field.  The bottle is hand-numbered and dipped in red wax.

Led by team captain Barry Larkin, the 1990 Reds spent the entire regular season in first place, defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in six games to take the National League title, and then tore into the heavily favored A’s.  Larkin, Eric Davis, Chris Sabo, Paul O’Neill, and Billy Hatcher powered the team at the plate, while Jose Rijo, Tom Browning, Jack Armstrong, Danny Jackson, and the bullpen’s Nasty Boys—Rob Dibble, Norm Charlton, and Randy Myers—intimidated opponents from the mound.

 

Maker’s Mark is producing an unprecedented number, 8000, of these commemorative bottles, the most since the series started in 2004.  The bottles are to go on sale Friday, March 19 and will retail for about $24 depending on the retail outlet.  Proceeds from sales will benefit the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.

 

The bottle signing at Turfway Park is Saturday, March 27, the morning of the Lane's End Stakes.  The signing is from 8 AM to 11 AM at Turfway Park, Gate B.  400 free tickets will be distributed on a first come-first served basis, to persons 21 years and older and one ticket per person.  Each ticketholder may bring two of the 2010 bottles to be autographed.

 

The 39th running of the Grade II Lane’s End Stakes is a 1 1/8-mile race for Thoroughbreds aiming for the Kentucky Derby.  With its $500,000 purse, the race virtually guarantees the winner a spot in the Derby field, which is limited to 20 starters.  This year’s Lane’s End Stakes is set for Saturday, March 27, at Turfway Park.  Tickets for the race range from general admission at $10 to the Maker’s Mark VIP Tent at $175 and are available by calling (859) 371-0200.

 

The Lane’s End Stakes is sponsored by Lane’s End of Versailles, Kentucky., one of the world’s leading Thoroughbred operations and first among North America’s stud farms for 10 years, seven consecutively.  The farm stands such influential stallions as A. P. Indy, Smart Strike, Kingmambo, and two-time Horse of the Year Curlin.  Lane’s End is owned by William S. Farish, former United States ambassador to the Court of St. James’s.  Farish was honored earlier this year with the Eclipse Award of Merit for outstanding lifetime achievement in the Thoroughbred industry.

 

As part of the bottle introduction, the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum will host a grand opening celebration of its new exhibit: 1990-A Celebration of the 1990 World Champion Cincinnati Reds on March 25 at the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.  Reds Hall of Famers and select members of the 1990 team will be in attendance.  The evening will consist of dinner and a question and answer session with the 1990 players.  Admission is $80 for the general public.  Reds Hall of Fame members and Maker’s Mark Ambassadors may purchase tickets at the discounted price of $70.  Tickets are available for purchase by calling 513-765-7923.