Compare
Eagle Rare 12 Year vs Maker's Mark
Put Eagle Rare 12 Year next to Maker's Mark and you have a classic, corn-forward stalwart set against a classic, high-wheat stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Eagle Rare 12 Year | Maker's Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| 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) +5 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$50 – $80 | ~$25 – $32 ~$37 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
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Eagle Rare 12 Year Maker's Mark
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 5/2 spice: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Maker's Mark 2 out of 10
oak 7/4 oak: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Eagle Rare 12 Year 6 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
sweetness 7/8 sweetness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Maker's Mark 8 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 4 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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: 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 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 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 (Eagle Rare 12 Year); neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark).