Maker’s Mark Distillery Honored

If you’rE looking for a little southern hospitality head to the house of Maker’s Mark. The Kentucky straight bourbon whisky manufacturer, was awarded whisky magazine’s 2OO8 Icons of Whisky Award for the “Visitor Attraction of the Year”. The continued commitment of Maker’s Mark to the experience of its guests and the preservation of its distillery, as showcased in the September 2OO7 unveiling of a new $2.5 million Visitors’ Center, were driving factors in the brand’s receipt of the award.

As one of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s most popular tourist destinations, Maker’s Mark attracts more than 7O,OOO visitors each year. This growth prompted the decision to revitalize the distillery.

The recent interactive enhancements to the Maker’s Mark Visitors’ Center include: A state-of-the-art audio visual display in the Bottling House which provides visitors with a close-up demonstration of filling, capping, labeling, and dipping operations; A modern Guest Relations Center located inside a century-old rack house, complete with a tasting bar, gift shop, private training room, and wax pots allowing guests to dip their own bottles in the signature red wax; The Samuels Family Distiller’s Home featuring an exact replica of Margie Samuels’ kitchen-laboratory, T.W. Samuels’ office-study, and an interactive family library full of family photos and memorabilia; and a commemorative charity wall located in the Label Printing Room, where every label is still hand-cut, showcases nine specialty bottles which raised over 5.4 million dollars for charitable causes over the past 14 years.