Consumer >> CEO Interviews >> August 10, 2009
BILL SAMUELS JR. is the President of Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto,
Kentucky - but that's where the formality ends. It's not that Bill Jr. doesn't
take his bourbon seriously - there is nothing more serious to him than producing
a quality product - but Samuels isn't one for pretense. He figures if his
bourbon is up to the rigid standards he sets for it, then there is no need to
brag about it. He's right. Bill Jr. is the seventh generation in a long line of
bourbon makers - and his bourbon is Maker's Mark. Samuels took over the family
business from his father, Bill Samuels Sr., the man who invented the Maker's
Mark recipe and the premium bourbon category. Bill Jr. uses his father's
innovative recipe, which uses wheat instead of rye, and continues the tradition
of small, closely supervised production to make sure there is a part of himself
and his family in every bottle. Profile
Mr. Samuels Jr.: We're in the premium bourbon business and we produce one brand,
on which our business was built.
