MAKER'S MARK WHISKY PARTNERS WITH ACTOR LUCIEN LAVISCOUNT, CALLING BRITS TO MARK MOMENTS THAT MATTER WITH AN OLD-FASHIONED COCKTAIL

To celebrate the collaboration, Maker's Mark has partnered with Hawksmoor to offer its signature Old Fashioned cocktail in the lead-up to Father's Day

LONDON, June 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Maker's Mark Whisky has announced a collaboration with British actor Lucien Laviscount for a new short film encouraging Brits to be uncompromising in moments that matter. Filmed at the new Hawksmoor in St Pancras in London, the short film sees Lucien reflect on the small everyday shortcuts that people take, before raising a signature Maker's Mark Old Fashioned cocktail to recognise moments that deserve more intention.

"There's something special about going to a great bar, being with good company and taking a moment to enjoy it properly," Lucien Laviscount said. "We compromise on little things all day, so when you do get that moment to stop, you want it to feel like it's all worth it. For me, a Maker's Mark Old Fashioned is exactly that: simple ingredients, done properly, with real character."

Inspired by Maker's Mark's Perfectly Unreasonable campaign, which celebrates the extraordinary lengths Maker's Mark goes to in pursuit of uncompromisingly delicious bourbon, the short film will premiere first on Lucien's Instagram @its_lucien.

"Our family legacy is simple: we don't compromise on the details. My grandparents set that standard seventy years ago, and we still honour it today by rotating our barrels by hand, ageing our whisky strictly to taste, and hand-dipping every single bottle in that red wax," said Rob Samuels, managing director for Maker's Mark and eighth-generation whisky maker. "Lucien really understands that mindset. He values things done the right way, without shortcuts—whether that's making time for the people who matter most or taking the care to craft a proper Maker's Mark Old Fashioned."

The collaboration arrives as UK consumers become more selective about nights out but continue to prioritise quality, with 20% spending more per month on eating and drinking out compared to 2024¹, driven in part by a desire to celebrate and treat themselves.

To complement the collaboration with Lucien Laviscount, Maker's Mark has partnered with Hawksmoor, one of the UK's most celebrated cocktail and restaurant destinations, to offer a custom summer-style Old Fashioned cocktail with Maker's Mark. 'Kentucky River' – Maker's Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon with white cacao, peach and a lemon twist will be available across their eleven London, Liverpool, Manchester and Edinburgh restaurants throughout June. For reservations, please visit www.thehawksmoor.com/book-a-table/ 

Alternatively, mark the moment at home with a Maker's Mark Old Fashioned following Lucien's video here.

Ingredients:
50ml Maker's Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon
5ml Sugar Syrup
2 Dashes Angostura® Bitters
Orange peel twist, to garnish and a large block-cube of ice

Method:
Add 50ml of Maker's Mark to a mixing glass with ice, followed by two dashes of bitters and a touch of sugar syrup. Stir until chilled, then strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Finish with an orange peel twist.

You can purchase Maker's Mark at Amazon, The Whisky Exchange and Tesco, RRP £35.00

Please drink responsibly, and please do not forward to anyone under the legal purchase age. 

Notes to editors:

Sources: ¹CGA by NIQ Consumer Pulse , September 2025. Insights Distillery - GB On Premise Consumer Pulse Report - September 2025   ²CGA Mixed Drinks. H2 2025. Insights Distillery - UK Mixed drinks report - On-trade H2 2025

Short Film Details:

Brand: Maker's Mark
Company: Suntory Global Spirits UK
Talent: Lucien Laviscount
Launch date: 4th June 2026
Market: UK
Hero Serve: Maker's Mark Old Fashioned
Location: Hawksmoor St Pancras, London
Formats: Short film, cocktail-making video, social cutdowns
Launch Channel: Lucien Laviscount's Instagram, @its_lucien and Maker's Mark, @makersmark
Culture Agency: Katlist
Production Agency:  Firmative and Blank Co
Director: Dumi Siwo

About Maker's Mark: Maker's Mark® is the iconic handmade Kentucky bourbon driven by a vision for better flavour and a better world. In 1953, founders Margie and Bill Samuels, Sr. broke from tradition—burning the family's 170-year-old recipe to create a bold, balanced bourbon made with soft red winter wheat for signature sweetness and creaminess. From the start, the Samuels went to remarkable lengths to craft uncompromisingly delicious bourbon, a perfectly unreasonable spirit that endures today. Every bottle is still hand-dipped in red wax, every barrel rotated by hand, and every decision guided by the brand's higher purpose.  Staying true to its founders' vision, Maker's Mark has expanded its portfolio with award-winning, super-premium expressions, including Maker's Mark 46, Cask Strength, and Cellar Aged, as well as Private Selection, the brand's custom barrel program. In 2025, the distillery debuted Star Hill Farm Whisky, its first-ever wheat whisky. Award-winning and the first to earn Estate Whiskey certification, Star Hill Farm Whisky inspired the Maker's Mark Regenerative Alliance, a bold commitment to advance regenerative farming beyond its business, inviting farms, bars and restaurants to join the movement. Maker's Mark is proud to be both a B Corp and Regenified Certified company – milestones driven by the sustainability leadership at Star Hill Farm, home of the Maker's Mark Distillery, which strives to be the most endearing, culturally rich, and environmentally responsible homeplace in the world.

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