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Horse Soldier Barrel Strength vs Maker’s Mark 46
Horse Soldier Barrel Strength and Maker’s Mark 46 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an uncut, wheat-forward heavyweight versus an old-guard, wheat-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Horse Soldier Barrel Strength | Maker’s Mark 46 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 20% wheat, 10% malted barley | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 111 proof (55.5% ABV) +17 proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$78 – $85 | ~$38 – $45 ~$40 less |
- Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 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
Horse Soldier Barrel Strength
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker’s Mark 46
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Horse Soldier Barrel Strength Maker’s Mark 46
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 7/4 heat: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
sweetness 7/8 sweetness: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 8 out of 10
spice 5/4 spice: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
oak 6/7 oak: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 7 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 3 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- Horse Soldier Barrel Strength: A barrel-strength wheater from the veteran-founded Horse Soldier brand. Brown sugar and toasted oak lead, baking spice and heat follow, and a splash of water pulls out darker fruit.
- Maker’s Mark 46: Finished with seared French oak staves inside the barrel, which adds the spice and wood that the standard bottling deliberately lacks. The most useful upgrade in the Maker's range.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Horse Soldier Barrel Strength if you want a big, barrel-strength wheated bourbon with plenty of brown sugar and warmth with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Maker’s Mark 46 if you want the softness of Maker's Mark with real oak and spice layered over it at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Horse Soldier Barrel Strength); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Maker’s Mark 46).