Maker’s Mark bourbon has a customer loyalty program where you become an “Ambassador” simply by signing up. In my opinion, this is one of the best realized type of programs I have encountered.
First of all, when you sign up they put your name on a barrel in one of their rickhouses. If you visit the distillery within 6 months of “your” barrel maturing (7 years) you are able to get a bottle filled from “your” barrel. You also get to hand dip it yourself (Maker’s Mark is known for the distinctive red wax seal over the cap of their bottles.) This may not sound like a big deal if you’re not an aficionado, but it’s pretty cool if you are.
Also, the tour fee is waived for ambassadors.
Also, every year at this time a special gift arrives in the mail. It’s a trinket, but usually well-thought out. One year it was a “scarf” to wrap around the long neck of one of their bottles. Another year it was a “sweater and ear muffs” for you r favorite bottle. This year it was a pair of socks, decorated with the iconic Maker’s bottle. The current offering is causing quite a bit of angst on the Ambassador’s Facebook page. Folks that haven’t received them yet are quite distraught. Happily, mine arrived today.
Huh. I got a wooden, Maker’s Mark branded muddler in a gift box this year. No socks.
High West has the best loyalty program IMO. For the past three years, I’ve gotten branded, ceramic-coated campfire mugs. I’ve gotten some nice leather coasters from Four Roses in the past, but what I most liked was the obviously hand-signed birthday and Christmas cards from Jim Rutledge before he ‘retired’.
I’m not, but a friend of mine is (and has been in the program for a number of years). I was at his house last weekend, and he’d just gotten his pair of socks from them.
For a wheated bourbon, Maker’s Mark is pretty good stuff. Maker’s 46 is better. The Cask Strength is superb. I definitely want to try the Private Reserve bottlings, which have over a thousand different possible stave combinations.
Long time Ambassador here. Two years ago, we took a family trip to visit the distillery and get my bottle (actually 4). Everybody got to hand dip a bottle. They also give you special labels with your name on them.
I look forward to the Christmas gift every year and still use the giant ice ball forms from a couple of years ago.
The socks are nifty! I got mine just in time for a friend’s Christmas party! I think three people signed up that night!
I’m not an Ambassador, but I did drive the Kentucky Bourbon Trail this past weekend.*
*at least, I traveled the Bluegrass Parkway which has numerous exits on the Trail for Maker’s Mark and other prominent Kentucky distilleries. The same highway had electronic signs reminding us to “Drive Sober Kentucky”, which is sort of a mixed message.
I finally found a liquor store in Seoul that reliably carries Maker’s Mark and Knob Creek. I usually prefer Scotch over bourbon, but make an exception for these two.
Preach it, brother. I went through all the hassle a few years ago to grab four bottles of Pappy, thinking maybe I just hadn’t had the right whetted bourbon yet. Nope. Didn’t like it either; gave it all away. Give me rye or give me death!
Prefferably rye.
Really? Any specific bottles you’re thinking of? I ask because the defining characteristic of rye whiskey is a pungent spiciness, in contrast with the mild sweetness of low-rye bourbon or the overt soft sweetness of wheated bourbon.
