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Buffalo Trace vs Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Buffalo Trace and Maker’s Mark Cask Strength sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus an uncut, wheat-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Buffalo Trace | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 110 proof (55% ABV) +20 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$28 – $35 ~$14 less | ~$40 – $50 |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Buffalo Trace 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
Buffalo Trace
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Buffalo Trace Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 6/9 sweetness: Buffalo Trace 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10
heat 4/7 heat: Buffalo Trace 4 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10
spice 5/3 spice: Buffalo Trace 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
oak 6/5 oak: Buffalo Trace 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Buffalo Trace 4 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Buffalo Trace 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- Buffalo Trace: The reference-point Kentucky bourbon: balanced brown sugar and vanilla sweetness, a whisper of mint, and just enough oak and spice to keep it interesting. Nothing is loud, which is exactly the point at 90 proof.
- Maker’s Mark Cask Strength: Undiluted Maker's, and the version that finally gives the wheated recipe some weight. Dense caramel and honey with real warmth, and one of the more affordable cask-strength bottles anywhere.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Buffalo Trace if you want the balanced, everyday Kentucky benchmark that does nothing wrong at a fair price.
- Go with Maker’s Mark Cask Strength if you want wheated sweetness at full strength for well under what most cask-strength bourbons cost without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Buffalo Trace); neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength).