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David Nicholson Reserve vs Maker's Mark
David Nicholson Reserve and Maker's Mark sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, classically built bottling versus an old-guard, wheat-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | David Nicholson Reserve | Maker's Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$30 – $40 | ~$25 – $32 ~$7 less |
- David Nicholson Reserve does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
David Nicholson Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker's Mark
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
David Nicholson Reserve Maker's Mark
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/2 spice: David Nicholson Reserve 6 out of 10, Maker's Mark 2 out of 10
sweetness 5/8 sweetness: David Nicholson Reserve 5 out of 10, Maker's Mark 8 out of 10
oak 6/4 oak: David Nicholson Reserve 6 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: David Nicholson Reserve 5 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
fruit 3/4 fruit: David Nicholson Reserve 3 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: David Nicholson Reserve 3 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- David Nicholson Reserve: The rye-recipe sibling to the 1843, with extra age. Toasty oak and rye spice give it more backbone, and the spice stays put through a long, warm finish.
- 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 David Nicholson Reserve if you want a toasty, spicy, 100-proof value bourbon that stands up in cocktails.
- 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 slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed old-fashioned, cocktails, rocks (David Nicholson Reserve); neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark).