USA Today, Time, Forbes and other media outlets have reported that the minds in charge of Maker's Mark bourbon have decided to lower the ABV in order to keep up with market demand. Yeah, you read that right. They will run out of bourbon based on current demand, unless they add water to existing stocks. But, it get's better.
Bill Samuels, Jr, (son of founder of the distillery) in an open letter on the bourbon's web site wrote:
"As we looked at potential solutions to address the shortage, we agreed again that the most important thing was whether it tastes the same. The distillery made up different batches that Rob and I tested every evening over the course of a month. Every batch at 42% ABV had the same taste profile that we’ve always had. Then, we validated our own tastings with structured consumer research and the Tasting Panel at the distillery, who all agreed: there’s no difference in the taste." (emphasis added)
I read this letter and I felt like I was sitting in on a White House press conference or listening to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claim that Iran's nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
"No Difference in Taste"
That's a big claim. I find it very hard to believe. It has been my limited experience that the ABV of a whisky plays a significant role in the flavor profile. Ideally, the elevated level delivers complexity, character and punch to a whisky. Hence, lowering the ABV can make it delicate, subtle, but go too far and the spirit will be muted, flattened and maybe even TV test-pattern boring. The crucial question for the master distiller is how low can he go? Kinda like the question a limbo dancer faces.
The master distiller, Jim Rutledge, at competing Four Roses bourbon doesn't think the flavor will remain the same. However, he does not think there will be a dramatic change either. This is especially true if you consider that the majority of this bourbon goes into mixed drinks like the Manhattan and other cocktails, where other ingredients will further obscure the exact flavor profile.
But, for us who like our bourbon neat, I suspect we are in for disappointment. I can't say for sure because I have not compared the two in a single tasting. I plan to do that and will report about it in the future.
Potential Solutions to Address the Shortage
Let's discuss the "potential solutions to address the shortage" of Maker's Mark. If they do nothing, they will sell out this year's stock. Is that a bad thing? It has happened to other bourbon producers like Knob Creek.
Knob Creek simply sold all they had for that year and then turned the shortage into a marketing bonanza as Roger Dooley at Forbes Magazine pointed out.
Beam Global, the owners of Knob Creek (and Maker's Mark coincidentally) ran full page ads in the Wall Street Journal and other newspapers apologizing to their customers for running out of bourbon for 2009. More was on the way in 2010, but the customer would have to wait said the ads as Knob Creek would not shorten the years it takes to create the nine year old bourbon. In other words, if they dropped the 9 yr age statement, they could ramp up production and satisfy all the orders coming in. But no, said the ads, we will not sacrifice quality.
The Knob Creek marketing campaign was clever and enormously successful.
Profit
When men or corporations behave oddly I always follow the money. Does the conduct correspond with the possibility of making more money? That's the question I ask myself. Adding water to bourbon stocks means more is ready to bottle without years in a warehouse, and years in expensive barrels.
I guess what I am saying is that Bill Samuels, Jr, and the Beam group had a decision to make and my guess would be they opted for the most profitable one, at the risk of slightly sacrificing the quality of their remarkable bourbon. Maker's Mark is very good bourbon. Unfortunately, the decision is also permanent. The solution of adding water to increase supply is not a temporary one. Permanent my friend. Why make it permanent if the shortage only concerns this year? Or did they forecast a shortage in the upcoming years? Who knows?
There were probably MBAs and CAs sitting around a dark wood boardroom table forecasting increased profits without a significant dip in sales because the only possible fall out might be among the small percentage of consumers who drink whisky neat. Probably the vast majority of consumers of this bourbon enjoy it in Manhattans and other mixed drinks, and so they will not be changing their buying habits based on this decision. Years ago Jack Daniels lowered their ABV from 86 proof to 80 proof, and they are still in business. Maybe Jack Daniels fans miss the old 86 proof, but the shareholders are happy.
Jury is still out
Until I do a head to head challenge between the current Maker's Mark at 45% ABV and the soon to be released 42% , I can't say for sure that the flavor profile will suffer. Maybe it will improve? Just because a whisky is less robust, it does not mean it is less good.
I guess the point of this post is to say that Maker's Mark decision to lower the ABV may not be based upon an altruistic concern for maintaining supply of its fine spirit to the public. I suspect the real reason has to do with profit. And profit, is not a dirty word, so long as it is not sacrificing quality.
Cheers!
I guess what I am saying is that Bill Samuels, Jr, and the Beam group had a decision to make and my guess would be they opted for the most profitable one, at the risk of slightly sacrificing the quality of their remarkable bourbon. Maker's Mark is very good bourbon. Unfortunately, the decision is also permanent. The solution of adding water to increase supply is not a temporary one. Permanent my friend. Why make it permanent if the shortage only concerns this year? Or did they forecast a shortage in the upcoming years? Who knows?
There were probably MBAs and CAs sitting around a dark wood boardroom table forecasting increased profits without a significant dip in sales because the only possible fall out might be among the small percentage of consumers who drink whisky neat. Probably the vast majority of consumers of this bourbon enjoy it in Manhattans and other mixed drinks, and so they will not be changing their buying habits based on this decision. Years ago Jack Daniels lowered their ABV from 86 proof to 80 proof, and they are still in business. Maybe Jack Daniels fans miss the old 86 proof, but the shareholders are happy.
Jury is still out
Until I do a head to head challenge between the current Maker's Mark at 45% ABV and the soon to be released 42% , I can't say for sure that the flavor profile will suffer. Maybe it will improve? Just because a whisky is less robust, it does not mean it is less good.
I guess the point of this post is to say that Maker's Mark decision to lower the ABV may not be based upon an altruistic concern for maintaining supply of its fine spirit to the public. I suspect the real reason has to do with profit. And profit, is not a dirty word, so long as it is not sacrificing quality.
Cheers!
Jason Debly
P.S.!!!!!!!!!!!!! This story took an interesting twist. For an update to the latest news on what is up with Maker's Mark ABV issues click here.
Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2014. All rights reserved. Any and all use is prohibited without permission. Please note the following photo credits: (1) Maker's Mark in hand taken by Flickr member: Adie Reed. Check out her great site for more photos: http://adiereed.wordpress.com/ She has graciously granted a Creative Commons license which permits its reproduction on this blog; (2) Picture of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad source is http://www.biography.com/people/mahmoud-ahmadinejad-38656 with no credit provided; (3) "Limbo Dance" photograph by Flickr member aneye4apicture and its reproduction here is pursuant to a Creative Commons License. (4) Knob Creek advertisement widely available on the web and in print media. All images used are considered by the author to be significant in illustrating the subject matter, facilitating artistic/critical commentary, as it provides an immediate relevance to the reader more capably than the textual description.
P.S.!!!!!!!!!!!!! This story took an interesting twist. For an update to the latest news on what is up with Maker's Mark ABV issues click here.
