You Know Things Must Be Desperate When....

...Beam Global decides to take its most iconic brand, the red wax-dipped Maker's Mark Bourbon, and lower the proof from 45% to 42%. Apparently, there's not enough Maker's Mark to keep up with global demand, but of course this isn't news to any of you. We've been discussing the current whisk(e)y shortage for over a year now. However, while the UK was treated to news of an ageless Macallan last summer, the average American consumer is practically clueless about what's been going on in the booze world. Most people are not interested in hearing about it, either. I was trying to tell a guy last week about why his search for Elijah Craig 18 was likely to be a difficult one and he turned his back, mid-sentence, and walked away in a huff. People always shoot the messenger!

Regardless about how you feel concerning the Maker's Mark reduction, no one can deny what it means. There's no way in hell that Beam made this decision lightly, which speaks to the severity of the shortage and the insatiable thirst for more brown booze. When Macallan decides to mess with its 12 year cash cow and Maker's Mark introduces a new Pepsi Light, you know something's amiss. Maker's Mark drinkers are the most fanatical. They're brand people who expect a brand to live up to its end of the bargain, which is basically: don't change anything. The boys at Beam know they're about to get pummelled with complaints, however, that's better than an empty shelf in their opinion.

We've got our Macallan moment now in the U.S. This is happening. I have to say, personally, that I'm glad to see it occur. For the last year, customers have looked at me skeptically, thinking this story of a booze shortage was probably a way for me to cover my ass in front of an empty shelf. People have been rolling their eyes, smirking, and getting all hot and bothered when I tell them about what it's going to take if they want a bottle of Pappy, Parker's or Stagg. It's been very frustrating. Now I can simply say, "Did you hear what Maker's Mark just did?" Oh.....maybe this guy isn't simply lying to us. BevMo didn't have it either.

-David Driscoll