ralfy review 1067 Extras – independentspirits.co.uk

Maker’s Mark Premieres “Perfectly Unreasonable”

New Global Brand Campaign Celebrates the Remarkable Lengths it Takes to Create Uncompromisingly Delicious Bourbon

LORETTO, Ky. – Monday, February 17, 2025 – Maker’s Mark®, the iconic handmade Kentucky bourbon, today announced the launch of its new global brand campaign, Perfectly Unreasonable. The cinematic campaign asserts that going to unreasonable lengths – in life and in bourbon – is what separates good from remarkable. It celebrates those who relentlessly pursue excellence and shines a light on the unconventional decisions that have made Maker’s Mark an icon.

“Perfectly Unreasonable is more than a campaign, it has been our ethos since my grandparents broke with tradition to reimagine what bourbon could be,” said Rob Samuels, eighth generation whisky maker and managing director, Maker’s Mark.  “Maker’s Mark continues to be driven by the pursuit of better bourbon and a better world, with our founders’ vision as our north star.”

From the beginning, Maker’s Mark founders Margie and Bill Samuels Sr. committed to doing things differently. Burning the family’s 170-year-old recipe to create something entirely new for the category – a delicious and balanced bourbon – and they chose the homeplace for Maker’s Mark in outlying Loretto, Kentucky because of its unique water source. They were also one of the first to open their distillery doors to visitors – a precursor to today’s Bourbon Trail. This challenger spirit endures today with every bottle hand-dipped in signature red wax, every barrel rotated by hand, and the brand’s dedication to become B Corp and Regenified certified.

Perfectly Unreasonable was shot by acclaimed Swedish film director Marcus Söderlund and serves as a manifesto for a new generation of global bourbon enthusiasts, illustrating that breakthrough accomplishments are born from challenging the status quo with vision and determination. This global campaign marks the first execution for the brand by global creative agency Carmichael Lynch.

“This bold campaign reinforces how Maker’s Mark is unique in its uncompromising commitment to excellent bourbon, as well as the personal and unconventional ways we communicate to consumers,” said Chloe Lloyd-Jones, vice president of global brand marketing, Maker’s Mark.  “We know Perfectly Unreasonable will resonate with Maker’s Mark fans, who expect nothing less from us, and new whisky drinkers around the world.”

Perfectly Unreasonable premiered in the U.S. during NBC Primetime this weekend and will include integrations with NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” as well as ‘The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers’ and ‘Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers’ Podcasts. A fully integrated campaign will roll out nationally and in key markets globally throughout 2025. The hero creative will take 30-second, 15-second and six-second forms across television, streaming, digital and social media, and will be supported via the brand’s website, ambassador program and distillery experiences.

For more information, please visit www.makersmark.com.

ABOUT MAKER’S MARK  

Maker’s Mark® is the iconic handmade Kentucky bourbon driven by a vision for better flavor and a better world.  Maker’s Mark began with the innovative spirit of Margie and Bill Samuels, Sr., who in 1953, fulfilled their dream to create a delicious bourbon without the bite, using soft red winter wheat instead of rye to enhance the softness, sweetness and signature creaminess. Highly desired around the world, Maker’s Mark is handmade, hand-dipped in our signature red wax, and every barrel continues to be rotated by hand and is aged to taste not time.

Always true to the founders’ vision, Maker’s Mark continues to shape the brand’s future through purposeful, flavor-driven innovation. In recent years, the brand has introduced thoughtful, super-premium expressions to its portfolio, including Maker’s Mark 46, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, and Maker’s Mark Cellar-Aged, all Double Gold winners of the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, as well as Maker’s Mark Private Selection: the brand’s custom barrel program.

Advancing its mission to cultivate bourbon that betters the world, while crafting the most flavorful product possible for consumers, Maker’s Mark is the largest bourbon distillery in the world to achieve B Corp Certification and the first distillery to achieve Regenified Certification, a reflection of the brand’s dedication to sustainable agriculture practices at Star Hill Farm, home to the Maker’s Mark Distillery. For more information, visit www.makersmark.com.

ABOUT SUNTORY GLOBAL SPIRITS

As a world leader in premium spirits, Suntory Global Spirits inspires the brilliance of life, by creating rich experiences for people, in harmony with nature. Known for its craftsmanship of premium whiskies, including Jim Beam® and Maker’s Mark®; Japanese whiskies, including Yamazaki®, Hakushu®, Hibiki® and Toki™; and leading Scotch brands including Laphroaig® and Bowmore®, Suntory Global Spirits also produces leading brands such as Tres Generaciones® and El Tesoro® tequila, Roku™ and Sipsmith® gin, and is a world leader in Ready-To-Drink cocktails, with brands like -196™ (minus one-nine-six) and On The Rocks™ Premium Cocktails.

A global company with approximately 6,000 employees in nearly 30 countries, Suntory Global Spirits is driven by its core values of Growing for Good, Yatte Minahare and Giving Back to Society. The company’s Proof Positive sustainability strategy includes ambitious goals and investments to drive sustainable change and have a positive impact on the planet, consumers and communities. Headquartered in New York City, Suntory Global Spirits is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information, visit www.suntoryglobalspirits.com

Dufftown Heritage Old & Rare Whisky 44 Year Old · 1975 Vintage 70cl · 41.8% ABV

This elegant and complex whisky from Dufftown, the heart of Speyside, is a 1975 vintage bottled by Hunter Laing at 44 years old for the Old & Rare range and is one of only 239 bottles ever produced. The long maturation has mellowed the spirit, creating a smooth, easy-drinking dram with rich orchard and citrus fruits, balanced by soft sweetness and lingering oak spice.

£1,099.95

As the Laing family have been in the Scotch Whisky business for more than three generations, the company has acquired not only a great deal of experience but, just as importantly, vast stocks of some of the most sought after whiskies in Scotland. Please join us to learn more about our proud history, and our promising future.

DUFFTOWN DISTILLERY

Founded in 1895 as “Dufftown-Glenlivet Distillery”, the distillery is currently owned by Diageo. The distillery operates six stills and has a capacity of 4,000,000 litres (880,000 imperial gallons; 1,100,000 US gallons) per year. It has three wash stills with a capacity of 13,100 litres (2,900 imperial gallons; 3,500 US gallons) and three spirit stills with a capacity of 15,300 litres (3,400 imperial gallons; 4,000 US gallons).

Its Speyside whisky is a component in Arthur Bell & Sons Ltd blended bottlings. It also markets single malt scotch whiskies under the names Singleton of Dufftown and Dufftown Aged 15 Years. Other active distilleries in Dufftown include Balvenie, Glendullan, Glenfiddich, Kininvie and Mortlach.

NOSE

A typically zesty introduction to this dram, there are notes of key lime pie,

apple jelly, honey and vanilla.

PALATE

There is a creaminess on the palate, with notes of banoffee pie, vanilla custard

and panna cotta.

FINISH

Sea salt and brine notes emerge in the finish, along with a gorse note.

UK RRP £62 – £65

This Decadent Drams bottling is a superb and wonderfully juicy wee 1st fill sherry hogshead of Arran single malt. Distilled in 2014, fully matured for 10 years in this cask and bottled with a fair bit of reduction to 57.1%, it’s a big, darkly fruity, spicy and robust wee sporran-warmer of a dram. Ideal for taking generous swigs of from a hipflask while rambling around Arran, or any other bits of Scotland you happen to find yourself in.

ralfy review 1067 – Capella 30yo @50%vol: Invergordon (North Star)

THIS ARTICLE APPEARS HERE WELL AFTER THE ORIGINAL DATE AND IS PUBLISHED AS A MATTER OF INTEREST

Kentucky Distillers’ Association Celebrates U.S.-India Tariff Reduction Agreement

Lower Duty Opens Door to World’s Largest Whiskey Market for Kentucky Bourbon, America’s Only Native Spirit

FRANKFORT, KY.— The Kentucky Distillers’ Association today hailed the groundbreaking agreement made by President Donald J. Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lower India’s tariffs on Bourbon, opening the world’s largest whiskey market for significant increases in Kentucky Bourbon offerings.

“We have seen worldwide, when trade restrictions are eased, that the elegance and complexity of Kentucky Bourbon attracts discerning palates of connoisseurs and new drinkers alike,” KDA President Eric Gregory said. “The agreement to lower tariffs from 150% to 100% is a historic accomplishment.

“We are grateful for President Trump’s collaboration with President Modi to confront this long-standing prohibitive tariff and create a more favorable path towards progress for Kentucky Bourbon. We are eager to share more of our mellow amber spirit with India’s consumers.”

Gregory also applauded Kentucky Congressman Andy Barr for his tireless work in exploring opportunities to help Bourbon succeed, including pushing for lower tariffs in India. Barr’s 6th District is home to many of Kentucky’s distilleries and the thousands of jobs they create.

Barr recently met with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Ambassador of India to the United States Vinay Kwatra to advocate for greater market access for Kentucky Bourbon in India.

Congressman Barr said, “Thoughtful agreements like this will help protect Kentucky jobs and bring a taste of our state to more communities across the globe. America’s distinct spirit will now be more accessible in a market that will open doors for our state’s signature Bourbon industry.”

Kentucky is the birthplace of Bourbon, producing 95% of the world’s supply. The homegrown industry is a $9 billion economic and tourism powerhouse, generating more than 23,100 jobs with $2.2 billion in salaries and benefits, and attracting more than 2.5 million visitors each year to the KDA’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour.

The Commonwealth currently has three times more aging barrels of whiskey – 15.4 million – than people, 4.5 million.

India is Kentucky’s 14th largest export market sending $3 million in whiskey annually, which is expected to accelerate with the tariff reduction. Gregory said with the current size of Kentucky’s Indian export market, this agreement will unlock more avenues for Kentucky’s distillers to grow and tackle headwinds that are charging towards the industry.

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) is the Worldwide Voice of Bourbon™.

About the Kentucky Distillers’ Association:

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is the legendary voice for Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Its diverse and growing membership produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s Bourbon, from historic, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are fostering the next generation of the Commonwealth’s landmark economic engine and its thriving, timeless craft. Member benefits include media relations, international trade development, private sampling events, technical assistance, economic development support, networking, legal defense, marketing strategies, governmental and regulatory advocacy and innovative tourism experiences through the KDA’s world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® adventures. A 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, the KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving. Learn more at www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com.

Our 165th auction, packed to the brim with delicious malts and a veritable cornucopia of alcoholic beverages, has now begun!  We have some amazing drams in the auction this month making it hard to pick out just a few to highlight so keep an eye out for our midweek email where we’ll shine a light on some more.  Here are some of the expressions in the auction which have caught our eye this month, including some particularly impressive Speysides.

First up is a bottle of astounding rarity this is the Balvenie 47 Year Old ‘Morgan’s Reserve’ – One of Eight Bottles.  A bottle so vanishingly rare we thought it best to include its staggeringly low outturn in the title, yes this is one of only eight bottles in existence and as far as we can tell this is the only time this bottle has been available on the secondary market!

A marriage of seven Balvenie casks laid down for the whisky merchant, George Morgan, who originally traded from The Canongate in Edinburgh. Specially selected by his grandchildren, for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations of the Morgan family.

A truly unique bottle of Balvenie indeed and undoubtedly a must have for any serious Balvenie collector.

Staying in Speyside this beautiful bottling is the Linkwood 1956 60 Year Old Cask #20 Private Collection Gordon & MacPhail.  On 3rd January 1956, George Urquhart oversaw the filling of a specially selected European Oak first fill Sherry hogshead with new-make Linkwood spirit and left it to mature until 1968 when it was moved to warehouses in Elgin. Now two generations on, Cask 20 was bottled into fifty-six decanters.  This is an extremely rare 1st fill sherry 1956 single malt, and it is presented in a very special display case with a unique backstory.

Our final distinguished older Speyside selection in this highlight reel is the marvellous Glenfarclas 1953 Single Cask #1682.  Drawn from a single cask this whisky also has a remarkably low outturn with only 97 bottles ever being produced, making this dram a very rare one indeed.  Distilled way back in 1953 this whisky wasn’t bottled until 2012 making the liquid contained within one of the most well-aged Glenfarclas bottles available.  A magnificent single cask bottling this one, from one of Speyside’s biggest hitters.

Finally we have a departure from Speyside but no departure in quality, this is the Springbank 1966 24 Year Old Local Barley #443 75cl.  As if the Local Barley series wasn’t enticing enough this is one from 1966, a near legendary vintage within the Local Barley output.  Fully sherry matured and retaining a hefty 58.1% ABV this is a bucket list dram for many of us Springbank aficionados.  Rich in colour and sporting the rather cool old style Local Barley labelling this is an essential bottling for any serious Springbank collectors out there.

I think we can all agree that those are some mighty fine drams, but we also have a wide range of drams available from more modest drinkers to these more salubrious tipples, so now is the time to delve into this month’s offerings and start building that watchlist.  Best of luck to everyone in the auction, and as always………..don’t lose your bottle.