Compare
Charles Goodnight Bourbon vs Maker's Mark
Comparing Charles Goodnight Bourbon and Maker's Mark reveals a matchup between an uncut, spice-driven heavyweight and a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Charles Goodnight Bourbon | Maker's Mark |
|---|---|---|
| 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) +25 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$75 – $80 | ~$25 – $32 ~$49 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
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Charles Goodnight Bourbon Maker's Mark
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 7/2 spice: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10, Maker's Mark 2 out of 10
heat 8/3 heat: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
oak 8/4 oak: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 6 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
sweetness 7/8 sweetness: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10, Maker's Mark 8 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 3 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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: 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 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 if you want a reliably sweet, low-spice wheater that is easy to find and easy to drink at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Charles Goodnight Bourbon); neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark).