Compare
Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon vs Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon and Maker’s Mark Cask Strength sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, classically built bottling versus an uncut, wheat-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 110 proof (55% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$85 – $100 | ~$40 – $50 ~$48 less |
- Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 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
Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 8/5 fruit: Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 8 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
spice 5/3 spice: Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10
nuttiness 5/3 nuttiness: Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
sweetness 8/9 sweetness: Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 8 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10
oak 6/5 oak: Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The fruit-versus-grain contrast drives this one.
- Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon: Finished in Oloroso sherry, Pedro Ximenez sherry and Cognac casks. The casks layer dried fruit, orange and dark chocolate over the bourbon and leave a long, clove-spiced 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 Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon if you want a sherry-and-Cognac-finished bourbon full of dried fruit and dark chocolate.
- 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 (Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon); neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength).