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Charles Goodnight Bourbon vs Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Comparing Charles Goodnight Bourbon and Maker’s Mark Cask Strength reveals a matchup between an uncut, spice-driven heavyweight and an uncut, wheated heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Charles Goodnight Bourbon | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| 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) +5 proof | 110 proof (55% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$75 – $80 | ~$40 – $50 ~$33 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 Cask Strength
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Flavor Profile
Charles Goodnight Bourbon Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 7/3 spice: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
oak 8/5 oak: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
sweetness 7/9 sweetness: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
heat 8/7 heat: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 3 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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 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 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 Cask Strength if you want wheated sweetness at full strength for well under what most cask-strength bourbons cost.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Charles Goodnight Bourbon); neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength).