Compare
Ancient Age vs Maker's Mark
Comparing Ancient Age and Maker's Mark reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Ancient Age | Maker's Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 90 proof (45% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$14 – $18 ~$13 less | ~$25 – $32 |
- Ancient Age does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Ancient Age
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker's Mark
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Ancient Age Maker's Mark
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 5/8 sweetness: Ancient Age 5 out of 10, Maker's Mark 8 out of 10
spice 4/2 spice: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Maker's Mark 2 out of 10
oak 3/4 oak: Ancient Age 3 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
heat 2/3 heat: Ancient Age 2 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- Ancient Age: The bottom rung of the Buffalo Trace ladder and priced accordingly. Thin and simple at 80 proof, but it is recognisably the Mash Bill #2 recipe and it does its job in a highball without complaint.
- Maker's Mark: The bottle that made wheated bourbon mainstream. Soft, sweet, and deliberately low on spice and oak, with baked bread and honey doing most of the work. Consistency is its real feature.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Ancient Age if you want the cheapest honest mixer in the lineup and you are not drinking it neat.
- Go with Maker's Mark if you want a reliably sweet, low-spice wheater that is easy to find and easy to drink with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed cocktails, highball (Ancient Age); neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark).