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Eagle Rare 12 Year vs Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Put Eagle Rare 12 Year next to Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and you have a classic, corn-forward stalwart set against an uncut, high-wheat heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Eagle Rare 12 Year | 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 | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) | 110 proof (55% ABV) +15 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$50 – $80 | ~$40 – $50 ~$20 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- Eagle Rare 12 Year 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
Eagle Rare 12 Year
Top 3, behind George T. Stagg and Jack Daniel's 14.
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Eagle Rare 12 Year Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 7/9 sweetness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10
spice 5/3 spice: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
oak 7/5 oak: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Eagle Rare 12 Year 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 4 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- Eagle Rare 12 Year: Two more years and five more proof points than Eagle Rare 10. Brown sugar and toffee lead, with a drier, more astringent oak finish.
- 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 Eagle Rare 12 Year if you want an older, richer step up from Eagle Rare 10 with more brown sugar and oak.
- 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 (Eagle Rare 12 Year); neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength).