The Louisville Courier-Journal’s Brett Dawson reports Brett Dawson reports venerable whiskey imprint Marker’s is planning a limited edition product bearing the brooding visage of University Of Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari. Surely there’s a Chianti brand eager to do something similar with Rick Pitino?
Marker™s Mark will produce 24,000 bottles bearing Calipari™s likeness. They™re expected to sell for about $49 each, according to a UK news release, if retailers take their normal markup.
Calipari is scheduled to take part in a bottle signing April 9 at Keeneland.
Maker™s Mark will donate proceeds from the sales ” estimated to be about $300,000 from 24,000 bottles ” to an extension program that is bringing the UK Symphony Orchestra and students from the UK School of Music into public schools and communities throughout Kentucky.
According to a news release, UK is in the process of securing matching grants that, if sales of the bottles are successful, may create funding for the program in excess of $1.2 million.