People of Suntory Global Spirits: Beth Buckner
People of Suntory Global Spirits: Beth Buckner
“When it comes to the spirits industry, Maker’s Mark is all I’ve ever known. I was fresh out of college when I started to work at Maker’s Mark. I had been focused on getting my master’s degree in infectious disease control and looking for an in-between job. My dad encouraged me to explore the bourbon industry, but I remember telling him at the time, “There’s no science in bourbon.” On my very first day though, I was blown away and quickly realized how wrong I had been.
In my 11 years at Maker’s Mark, I’ve held many responsibilities, including running analytical testing and overseeing taste panels. A pivotal role for me was my work on innovation – testing the stave soaks for the Private Selection barrel program and the very first Wood Finishing Series, which launched in 2019. Following the success of those initiatives, I worked with Rob Samuels, Managing Director of the Maker’s Mark Distillery and eighth generation distiller, as well as other colleagues, to create the Innovation Lab for new releases and testing. It was there that I began my journey into the world of blending. Now, most people would probably wonder, why do we need an Innovation Lab when all we produce is Maker’s Mark? For us, innovation is two-sided. On one side is where we create different iterations of Maker’s Mark—like 46 and Cellar Aged—and the other side is where we continue to explore where flavor comes from and protect the brand’s original taste vision.
Most blenders might describe their job as combining different whiskies from different casks to create a consistent product with a desired style. But to me, blending is much more; it’s like merging art and science into one. My approach to blending is to go off taste and my gut feeling for how I think the whiskies are going to blend and align with the intended taste vision.
It’s no secret that blending is a male dominated field. But you’d be surprised to know that women typically have more taste receptors than men. As the only female Blender at Maker’s Mark, I have had a huge support system within the organization. The principles of Maker’s Mark co-founder Margie Samuels, a woman who was named in 2014 to the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame remain central to everything we do. I’m proud to be part of a company that’s committed to increasing the number of women in leadership positions globally.
I believe more women should get into the bourbon industry. The best advice I could give to anyone seeking to get into our industry is to speak up and ask questions to learn more. Advice I received early on was to never be the smartest person in the room and try to learn from those around you to get you to where you want to go – it’s something that I practice in my work every day.”
Beth Buckner—Sr. Manager, Innovation & Blending, Maker’s Mark, USA