Maker’s Mark to Dilute Bourbon by 7 Percent

Distiller Beam Inc. has raised hackles with the announcement that it plans to water down the bourbon Maker’s Mark by three percent in an attempt to meet overwhelming demand. Unfortunately, according to The Atlantic, the manufacturer’s three percent ABV reduction works out to an actual alcohol loss of 6.7 percent.

The reaction has been swift and largely negative, but it will be a few weeks before the new formula will hit the shelves.

The proof, so to speak, will be in the pouring. Huerta, who is set to open a bourbon bar in Houston this spring that will feature up to 150 bourbons—if they are available—said she’s worried that Maker’s, which has always been a trendsetter in the industry, is setting a dangerous precedent.

“It’s been difficult to get Maker’s for the last several months, supply has been so tight,” Alba [Huerta, general manager of the nationally renowned cocktail bar Anvil] said. “And other distilleries are in the same position as Maker’s, without enough product to go around. But with this decision, I fear that dilution will become the solution for other distilleries, too.”

“I’d rather wait six months and fight to get the whiskey I want than to put something on my shelf that is inferior.”

Via Time