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Charles Goodnight Bourbon vs Maker’s Mark 46
Charles Goodnight Bourbon and Maker’s Mark 46 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight versus an old-guard, wheat-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Charles Goodnight Bourbon | Maker’s Mark 46 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | 6 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 115 proof (57.5% ABV) +21 proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$75 – $80 | ~$38 – $45 ~$36 less |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Charles Goodnight Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker’s Mark 46
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Charles Goodnight Bourbon Maker’s Mark 46
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 8/4 heat: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
spice 7/4 spice: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
sweetness 7/8 sweetness: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 8 out of 10
oak 8/7 oak: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 3 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land very differently on the palate for heat.
- Charles Goodnight Bourbon: A barrel-strength Texas bourbon. The hot Texas climate pulls a lot of oak in six years, giving deep wood, brown sugar and dark fruit with plenty of rye spice.
- Maker’s Mark 46: Finished with seared French oak staves inside the barrel, which adds the spice and wood that the standard bottling deliberately lacks. The most useful upgrade in the Maker's range.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Charles Goodnight Bourbon if you want a bold, oak-heavy Texas bourbon at barrel strength with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Maker’s Mark 46 if you want the softness of Maker's Mark with real oak and spice layered over it at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Charles Goodnight Bourbon); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Maker’s Mark 46).