Maker’s Mark To Launch 2024 Holiday Cocktail Popups In Kentucky And NYC

A new Maker’s Mark activation is bridging Kentucky and New York City this holiday season. Dubbed “Le 46,” the limited-time pop-up will launch at the Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, before transferring for a longer stint in one of New York City’s busiest hubs. To create a bespoke cocktail menu bridging the two locales, the brand has tapped one of the world’s most celebrated cocktail mavens: 44 year industry veteran Colin Field.

For consumers and brands alike, the holidays are often the busiest time of year. That’s doubly true in the whiskey world, when American brands vie for attention with limited bottlings positioned as ideal holiday gifts (or rare personal splurges). The past two years, Maker’s Mark has followed that trend, dropping their highly limited Cellar Aged expression — the brand’s first-ever age-stated bourbon — right as Fall whiskey shopping ramps up.

But with Le 46, Maker’s is taking a different approach, focusing instead on the readily available Maker’s 46. Initially launched in 2010, Maker’s 46 starts with the brand’s mature wheated bourbon and finishes it for an additional nine weeks with seared French oak staves. Maker’s 46 is now a part of the brand’s core lineup. In a world of allocated, hard-to-find bottles, it’s a reliable standard that’s almost always on shelves.

The first iteration of Le 46 kicks off at Maker’s Mark’s Loretto, Kentucky, distillery on December 6th. The $35, reservation-only experience includes after-hours distillery tours, cocktails, and snacks. (And, yes, guests can dip their own bottles in the famous red wax.)

A few days later, on December 11th, Le 46 moves to NYC’s Union Square Park at 31 East 17th Street (2nd Floor) for a one-night experience. The brand’s Union Square popup then continues as “Maker’s Mark Winter Wheat Wonderland” through December 22nd. According to the brand, registered Maker’s Mark ambassadors will get first dibs at reservations throughout the NYC run.

Of course, seasonal popups are nothing new in the cocktail space. New York is likely to be chock-full of them this season, which can give bargoers decision fatigue on where to sip the holiday spirit.

To stand out from the crowd, Maker’s tapped noted mixologist and author Colin Field to create a bespoke cocktail menu for the events. Field is one of mixology’s most veteran superstars, best known for helming Bar Hemingway in Paris. He’ll be hand-mixing cocktails at the distillery on December 6th, as well as the NYC event on December 11th from 6-8pm.

“I’m looking forward to embracing southern hospitality and marrying it with my French-bartending influence,” Field tells Forbes.

As of this writing, Field — who often works through five or more iterations in designing cocktails — was still tweaking the Le 46 drinks menu. That has involved a deep dive into the Maker’s Mark flavor profile, including pairings with potential food items on offer at the Kentucky and New York City popups.

“My first tip for aspiring mixologists is to get to know the bourbon. Sip it neat, add a drop of water, or enjoy it alongside something simple like bread and butter.”

But when it comes to bourbon cocktails, emphasized that over-complication can be any mixologist’s Achilles’ heel.

“Sometimes, the most memorable cocktails are those with just a few well-chosen ingredients that allow the bourbon to shine.”