Maker's Mark NOT watering down bourbon.

This is either marketing genius or they listened after all the negative blowback at the decsion to water down Maker's.
From The Facebook page....
You spoke. We listened.

Dear Friends,

Since we announced our decision last week to reduce the alcohol content (ABV) of Maker’s Mark in response to supply constraints, we have heard many concerns and questions from our ambassadors and brand fans. We’re humbled by your overwhelming response and passion for Maker’s Mark. While we thought we were doing what’s right, this is your brand – and you told us in large numbers to change our decision.

You spoke. We listened. And we’re sincerely sorry we let you down.

So effective immediately, we are reversing our decision to lower the ABV of Maker’s Mark, and resuming production at 45% alcohol by volume (90 proof). Just like we’ve made it since the very beginning.

The unanticipated dramatic growth rate of Maker’s Mark is a good problem to have, and we appreciate some of you telling us you’d even put up with occasional shortages. We promise we'll deal with them as best we can, as we work to expand capacity at the distillery.

Your trust, loyalty and passion are what’s most important. We realize we can’t lose sight of that. Thanks for your honesty and for reminding us what makes Maker’s Mark, and its fans, so special.

We’ll set about getting back to bottling the handcrafted bourbon that our father/grandfather, Bill Samuels, Sr. created. Same recipe. Same production process. Same product.

As always, we will continue to let you know first about developments at the distillery. In the meantime please keep telling us what’s on your mind and come down and visit us at the distillery. It means a lot to us.

Sincerely,

Rob Samuels Bill Samuels, Jr
Chief Operating Officer Chairman Emeritus
rob@makersmark.com bill@makersmark.com

I'm not sure what the reason for the change is, but I'm glad the correct decision was made. It's kind of the same thing that happened when New Coke was introduced, they went back to the old formula after the public outcry!

I'm going to put my jaded capitalist aside here and think that this is a "we listened to our customers" situation and not a "we created a fictional problem so we could solve it and look like heroes" situation.

Good for them.

Smells like a huge publicity stunt to me ? And I'm a diehard Maker's fan. I'm disappointed in the new leadership and their parent company.

Smells like a huge publicity stunt to me ? And I'm a diehard Maker's fan. I'm disappointed in the new leadership and their parent company.

+1

Interestingly enough, we did an order of Makers Mark last week and several of the stores we are in a cooperative buying group with received the lower proof bottles in 175's and 375's. So it was definitely not a fake publicity stunt of that nature. I'm curious to see what they plan to do with the bottles that made it out into the market. The only thing we received was the original proof 750ml's, so I don't have anything in stock. Once I hear what the plan is for the lower proof bourbon, I'll post back here about it.

This really does not seem like a publicity announcement calculated to generate customer outrage, mostly because it's a distillery. Bourbon outfits that have built a reputation over many years are not the sort of ventures that go in for short term theatrics.
I have worked for corporations bought out by other corporations where the new owners did not necessarily understand the brand value and concerns of the marketplace resulting from such changes. Could be wrong, of course, but this sounds so typical of a policy rammed down from the new owners. The acquired folks know quite well the ramifications of the announced policy and sit back to let the clue-free new owners, in typical Dilbert style, find out what the customers (remember them?) think.
Keep an eye out on Markers Mark. This is may be the first round with new ignorant owners enacting policies to destroy the value of the brand but I promise it will not be the last, sorry to say.
Sometimes I hate being right.

I'm guessing they will make an export 80 proof version for the rest of the world.

We received some 1.75s of the makers light. They might be collectors items.

I've not had MM "revised" bourbon. Is it REALLY much of a difference in taste than the original?

I've not had MM "revised" bourbon. Is it REALLY much of a difference in taste than the original?

I'm not sure that it's the taste as much as the integrity.

Marker's Mark has built up a lot, I mean A LOT, of brand equity based on the promise unstinting quality of the product and the integrity of the owners. Decades have been spent building this up and telling folks that Maker's Mark bourbon is something you can always trust.

So, this whole episode just told everyone that, well maybe you won't get what you think you're getting when you trust that "red wax" seal and plunk down your hard earned money. You better read the label closely, because you just never know. So much for decades of careful brand management!

Marketing disaster. Clueless decision.

This really does not seem like a publicity announcement calculated to generate customer outrage, mostly because it's a distillery. Bourbon outfits that have built a reputation over many years are not the sort of ventures that go in for short term theatrics.
I have worked for corporations bought out by other corporations where the new owners did not necessarily understand the brand value and concerns of the marketplace resulting from such changes. Could be wrong, of course, but this sounds so typical of a policy rammed down from the new owners. The acquired folks know quite well the ramifications of the announced policy and sit back to let the clue-free new owners, in typical Dilbert style, find out what the customers (remember them?) think.
Keep an eye out on Markers Mark. This is may be the first round with new ignorant owners enacting policies to destroy the value of the brand but I promise it will not be the last, sorry to say.
Sometimes I hate being right.

What new owners?

Fortune Brands bought it in 2005, and then split the company, forming Beam, Inc in 2011. Its been in the same ownership for 8 years.

Its been 32 years since Samuels sold the company.

Edit, detailed ownership history:
1981 Hiram Walker
1987 Allied Domecq
2005 Fortune Brands
2011 Beam, Inc, when Fortune spun off their drinks business.