Hall of fame

I don’t invite DD to many drinks events these days because he lives light years away from the city.

But I got an invitation a few weeks ago that said: “We’re excited to invite you to a special evening with Maker’s Mark and Matt Moran to celebrate the launch of Star Hill Farm Whisky – the first new mashbill and wheat whisky in Maker’s Mark 70-year history!

“Enjoy a seasonal dinner hosted by Maker’s Mark Managing Director and 8^th-generation distiller Rob Samuels, alongside acclaimed chef and brand ambassador, Matt Moran, complete with a selection of limited-release Maker’s Mark whiskies to enjoy.”

And I knew DD would be VERY happy to make the trek, as he’s a bourbon man and Maker’s Mark is one of his favourites.

I have a soft spot for the distillery for different reasons. In 2014, Margie Samuels, the wife of Maker’s Mark co-founder Bill Samuels Sr. (both pictured above), was the first woman connected to a distillery to be inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. 

Actually, that part of the story disturbs me slightly. WHY did it take until 2014 for the Kentucky bourbon industry to induct a woman into their hall of fame?

Anyways, moving along as that’s not what this post is about.

Margie designed the iconic Maker’s Mark bottle back in the 1950s. She’s credited with conceiving the bottle’s distinctive square shape, the hand-torn label and the signature red wax dip. 

She hand-dipped the first bottles in red wax using a deep fryer in her kitchen. This unique sealing process, along with the bottle’s shape and label, helped establish Maker’s Mark as a premium bourbon and contributed to its iconic status. 

We had the opportunity to hear her grandson tell the story on Wednesday night as we sipped his bourbon, which was very cool.

Apparently they still hand dip all the bottles to this day – very labour intensive!

I can tell by the look in Maggie’s eye that she was my kind of woman. I reckon she has the same sort of steely camera stare I sported as a primary schooler …

I was a determined little thing. And telling me I wasn’t capable of doing something simply drove me to prove the naysayers wrong.

Although, insisting to the school librarian at age 11 that I WAS capable of reading the Damon Runyon omnibus on her personal shelf was probably an over shoot. Well, I was capable of reading it, but understanding it was an entirely different matter.

Moving along and back to the whisky function … Rob also regaled us with tales of Kentucky royalty – the Samuels family were besties with Jim Beam and also Colonel Sanders of the fried chicken fame!

We also got to hear Matt Moran talk about his dedication to regenerative farming, which was very cool.

In line with its commitment to sustainability and regenerative farming, Maker’s Mark has announced a partnership with the chef, who is also a fourth-generation NSW farmer.

As Maker’s Mark Brand Ambassador for the year, Matt will play a pivotal role in supporting the launch of Star Hill Farm Whisky in Australia.

DD also had the chance to try some of Chiswick’s signature dishes with a twist, such as its wood-roasted chook with Maker’s Mark-infused gravy!

It was a cold, wet commute to Woollahra and back, but it was warm and welcoming in the restaurant, I got to catch up with a few drinks industry friends and they sent us home with little cobs of freshly baked Chiswick bread with tubs of Maker’s Mark-infused butter.

The rain continued to pelt down on Thursday, which made it very hard to convince the dogs to go outside for a wee, even when I carried them up to the shops so they could do it undercover against street plantings.

Princesses.

And now I am very glad it is Friday because it has been quite the week, filled with major life stresses that would make your eyes boggle if we discussed them over a Chardy.

They included raising a glass to another incredible woman who deserves to be in a hall of fame.

An unexpectedly emotional evening. More about that later.

My weekend plans remain up in the air due to my dad being really ill, but it promises to be an eventful one.

Take care and I will give you the lowdown on Monday.

Song of the day: Eurythmics “Sisters are doing it for themselves”