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Maker’s Mark 46 vs New Riff 8 Year
Put Maker’s Mark 46 next to New Riff 8 Year and you have a classic, high-wheat stalwart set against a contemporary, high-rye craft build.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker’s Mark 46 | New Riff 8 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 8 years |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +6 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$38 – $45 ~$26 less | ~$65 – $70 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Maker’s Mark 46
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff 8 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark 46 New Riff 8 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 4/8 spice: Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: Maker’s Mark 46 8 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: Maker’s Mark 46 7 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark 46 3 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- New Riff 8 Year: The older, deeper version of New Riff's bonded bourbon. Same 30% rye recipe, but eight years add richer oak and darker sugar while keeping the spice front and center.
Which One Should You Choose?
- 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 lower price point.
- Go with New Riff 8 Year if you want an older, deeper take on New Riff's spicy high-rye recipe with slightly more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Maker’s Mark 46); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year).