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Horse Soldier Barrel Strength vs Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Comparing Horse Soldier Barrel Strength and Maker’s Mark Cask Strength is a closer contest than it looks — both are wheated bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$78 – $85 vs. ~$40 – $50).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Horse Soldier Barrel Strength | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| 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) | 110 proof (55% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$78 – $85 | ~$40 – $50 ~$37 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 Cask Strength
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Flavor Profile
Horse Soldier Barrel Strength Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 7/9 sweetness: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10
spice 5/3 spice: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
oak 6/5 oak: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
heat 7/7 heat: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 3 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- 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 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 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 Cask Strength if you want wheated sweetness at full strength for well under what most cask-strength bourbons cost.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Horse Soldier Barrel Strength); neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength).