Maker's Mark 2
Limited Edition Cocktail Kit Launched
Maker’s Mark® and Swift Bars Launch Limited-Edition Cocktail Kit
London, March 2020: Maker’s Mark®, the premium handcrafted American whisky, has collaborated with Swift Bars to launch a limited-edition home cocktail kit.
Created by Maker’s Mark® UK Brand Diplomat, Nicole Sykes, and the team of female bartenders at Swift, the cocktail kit includes two 220ml cocktails: The Green Brand (12.2%) and The Ambassadors Reception (23.8%). The cocktail kit also features the iconic hand dipped Maker’s Mark® wax seal, a nod to the handcraftsmanship first employed by founder Bill Samuels Senior and his wife, Margie Samuels.
A twist on a Southern style ice tea cocktail, The Green Branch combines Maker’s Mark®, Moscato, pineapple, ginger and lemongrass tea to create the perfect spring serve. With notes of peach, orange blossom and ginger the refreshing cocktail is best enjoyed in a tall, chilled glass over lots of ice and lemon.
Made using Maker’s Mark®, Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur, Cream Sherry and Chocolate Bitters, The Ambassadors Reception is a rich creamy serve, best enjoyed in a short glass over ice alongside your favourite sweet treats.
As Bourbon continues to be one of the fastest growing and most dynamic drinks categories in UK, the cocktail kit demonstrates the exponential demand for American whisky across the UK. With more shoppers buying bourbon in the off-trade, this has resulted in growth of 27% in value and 21% in volume over the last 52 weeks. Maker’s Mark® even outperforms these category numbers as it sees value sales increase by 47% to just shy of £5m.
Inspired by Margie’s invaluable contributions to Maker’s Mark® and, in turn, the entire bourbon industry, the one-off cocktail kit is available for delivery across the UK and can be purchased online via Speak Easy at Home for £20. 15% of all sales will be donated to The Girls Network, a charity dedicated to inspiring and empowering girls from disadvantaged communities by connecting them with professional female role models.
Nicole Sykes, Maker’s Mark® UK Brand Diplomat commented: “The craft credentials of Maker’s Mark® have been at the very heart of the brand’s success since it was co-founded in 1958 by Bill Samuels Sr. and his wife Margie Samuels. We say that Margie Samuels is the reason most folks buy their first bottle of Maker’s Mark® and Bill Samuels is the reason they buy their second. The shape of the bottle, hand cut label, signature hand dipped red wax topper and even the name itself are all thanks to the pioneering spirit of Margie. We are therefore very excited to collaborate with Swift Bar’s co-founder Mia and their team of female bartenders from two of the most prestigious bars in London, to continue on this journey with the launch a limited-edition home cocktail kit throughout March and to raise some money for a great charity.”
For more information on the collaboration please visit: https://www.speakeasyathome.co.uk/swift
Latest Brand Development News From Maker’s Mark
Nicole Sykes Appointed Maker’s Mark UK Diplomat
14th January 2021, London: In 1943 when Bill Samuels Sr. walked away from the whisky founded by his great, great grandfather by burning the only copy of 170 year old family recipe, he set off to personally create a whisky that he could proudly share with his friends and family. Collaborating with his wife Margie Samuels, their result was Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky.
To continue the tradition of proudly sharing this great tasting whisky with our friends and family, we are delighted to share the news that the award-winning UK bartender and drinks expert Nicole Sykes has joined Edrington Beam Suntory UK as Maker’s Mark Diplomat.
Nicole brings 5 years’ experience to the Bourbon Whisky brand, working in some of the world’s most iconic bars in London and Edinburgh including Lyaness, Voodoo Rooms and most recently at Satan’s Whiskers, one of the world’s leading independent cocktail bars.
Nicole has also received numerous awards and accolades for her creativity and commitment to quality. Nicole’s passion for handmade cocktails and crafted American whisky will be key to sharing Maker’s Mark remarkable story.
Commenting on Maker’s Mark new role Nicole Sykes said: “The most compelling part for me is the genuine story behind Maker’s Mark. Each step of the process has its purpose and is there to create the best tasting Bourbon Whisky. It’s much like when bartenders create cocktails, each ingredient and method is well thought out. We don’t use the cheapest or quickest methods; we use the best methods to achieve the best taste experience.”
In her new role, Nicole will share the unique hand-crafted story of Maker’s Mark with bartenders and Bourbon Whisky enthusiasts across the UK. She will also work to support the on-trade during their transition back into service as restrictions loosen in the coming weeks.
Nick Temperley, General Manager for London at Edrington-Beam Suntory UK also commented: “We are extremely excited to have Nicole join the team here at Maker’s Mark. Having proven herself as an outstanding bartender in some of London’s best bars, she will now bring her own sense of fun, energy and cocktail experience to help us grow our remarkable bourbon whisky and support all our customers in 2021.”
For more information visit: www.makersmark.com
