Making Her Mark: Maker's Mark VP on Disrupting The Bourbon Boy's Club

For drinkers of bourbon, the iconic blend of Maker's Mark is one consumers have known to remain the same until 2008. Its classic, red, wax-sealed bottle, beholding the family recipe was rooted in the legacy of the only bourbon the Samuels family produced since they began distilling 64 years ago. But in 2008, Bill Samuels, Jr. set out to shake things up, and the leading force by his side? Victoria MacRae-Samuels, the first female VP of Operations in the bourbon industry.

“They'd never had a supervisor who was a woman before," says MacRae-Samuels. “But nothing stopped my curiosity from growing in the business."

Twenty-nine years ago, Victoria MacRae-Samuels was on the path to becoming an undergraduate professor, having spent the majority of her studies in STEM. Yet, a quick trip to Kentucky and a dinner with Booker Noe (Jim Beam's grandson) quickly changed this outcome, as MacRae-Samuels was inspired to join the bourbon industry -- odds against her as both a woman and Kentucky transfer.

As she grew in the industry, starting as a research and development chemist at Jim Beam, to joining Maker's Mark as the director of operations and eventually the Vice President of Operations, MacRae-Samuels continued to prove herself in a predominantly male industry. Part of this growth included her first project as director of operations at Maker's Mark when she joined in 2008. MacRae Samuels worked side-by-side with the founders' son and current Chairman Emeritus, Bill Samuels, Jr., on creating the brand's “first-ever new bourbon" since its founding in 1953.

“Bill came in for a meeting that day and said something that was very strange to us," she remembers as the bourbon legacy asked his team if they should consider offering consumers a different product. “Maker's Mark was known for one product and one product only but that day Bill said perhaps we should put our heads together to come up with something to provide customers with a slightly different taste while still being true to Maker's Mark."

So for the next two years, MacRae Samuels facilitated this process as the team created and tasted over 100 barrels of new-age Maker's Mark. As she worked closely with Mr. Samuels, she felt the brand had come full circle as what materialized to become the Maker's icon was a product of Marge Samuels; she designed the original bottle still on the shelf today, along with its wax seal, and encouraged the first distillery tours. “She even came up with the name," says MacRae-Samuels, “She noticed the best pieces of pewter had marks on the bottom of them representing its maker and their marks."

In continuing the female legacy of the brand, we caught up with MacRae-Samuels to learn more about her role as a woman in the bourbon industry, what it means to be the first female VP of operations in bourbon and what exactly Maker's 46 profile is all about.

I don't think I actively tried to overcome anything; part of who I am is I just keep going. I come from a very strong matriarchal family. My mother raised me by herself in the 1950s and my grandmother is a very strong character as well. I don't know if strength is in my genes but I think it's something you can develop and you can create in yourself. I just kept going, I was interested and I was learning things and that excited me.

I found that one of the best ways to break down barriers with people who have trouble understanding your credibility--that's really what it is about--the way I could build that up was knowledge. They can't argue with what I know, even if I'm a woman in the industry.

MacRae-Samuels helped with everything from the design of the bottle, its wax seal, she came up with the name and encouraged the first distillery tours.

I've been in the industry for 29 years, I've also raised two daughters. So, when I hire at Maker's, I'm often hiring people my daughters' age, or even younger.

There comes a point in everyone's life, and your career, where you think how you will leave your legacy. I think what moves me along in my career--was initially the drive, the perseverance to learn and grow myself professionally--but now, I want to reach out and engage in conversation to recognize where we all are, where we come from and how far we have to go. And, what part can I play in that?

My titles have always been a descriptor of what I do--I think in my byline, I'd rather have a descriptor of what I do because I don't think titles can tell you who you are. When the master distiller left, Bill offered me the job and a few months later, he said, 'You know you're the first woman to hold this role?' I thought, 'How could I have not noticed that?'

It was a little disappointing as that was in the 2000s. Up until then, whenever I reached these roadblocks, I thought in the future, I won't have that problem. So to realize this in 2010, it was humbling but also very concerning.

"Gender is a very obvious topic when we discuss certain careers, but it really is about who people are."

Gender is a very obvious topic when we discuss certain careers, but it really is about who people are. Even though I'm leading the team, I see myself working side-by-side with everyone. In the 180 team members we have, I recognize each of them, and what they bring to work every day. Yes, we have processes and standard ways of working and quality control, and sometimes it's formalized but there should always be an opportunity for people to bring something of themselves.

Maker's 46 is a bigger and bolder version of the original Maker's Mark. The expression takes fully matured Maker's Mark and utilizes a finishing process in which ten seared French oak staves are inserted in the barrel to yield deep flavors of vanilla, caramel, oak, and spice.

Throughout the development of Maker's 46, we learned much about the uniqueness of Maker's Mark. Marge was a true pioneer in the bourbon industry – her vision remains at the foundation of everything we produce. Similar to the Maker's Mark bottle design, the Maker's 46 bottle is a tribute to Marge's groundbreaking design with its signature red wax dip and SIV logo that Marge designed.

With the success of Maker's Mark Private Select, our unique private barrel program that allows retailers to make their own version of Maker's Mark, we're continuing to experiment with wood finishes. In March, I celebrated my 29th anniversary with our company, and I'm looking forward to what the future holds. It's such an exciting time to be in the bourbon business. The industry is booming with a new level of interest from consumers. My curiosity and penchant for learning inspire me to continue to grow just as it did when I first joined the bourbon industry.