Maker’s Mark Blogger’s Lunch at Frank
How could I pass this up? While drinking one of my favorite bourbons at my favorite Austin lunch spot, the CEO of Maker’s Mark, Bill Samuels, gave us an advance preview of his newest, and ONLY Maker’s spin-off, Maker’s Mark 46.
Prior to taking the helm of the family business 30 years ago, Bill went to law school and got his masters in physics. After a misadventure in rocket science resulting in him blowing up his bosses office, Bill returned to Kentucky and has done everything not to “f*ck up his old man’s invention”, as he so eloquently put it.
Now, I will quote one of my favorite movies - the Goonies - “Their time! Up there! Down here, it’s our time. It’s our time down here.” Bill has held up his end of the bargain and has built Maker’s Mark into a billion dollar business, but he wanted to improve on the family recipe and make something to put on his tombstone.
After brainstorming with the master distiller, he has successfully taken the alcohol notes out of the original recipe through an advance in wood treating technology, and the result is spectacular. The new Maker’s 46 is the most drinkable whiskey I have ever tasted, and it will be available in stores late this summer. An interesting fact: the whole process was done in a vacuum - no business or marketing folks were able to muck it up. Bravo Bill.
1 year ago