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Maker’s Mark 46 vs Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Maker’s Mark 46 and Old Grand-Dad Bonded sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, wheat-forward classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker’s Mark 46 | Old Grand-Dad Bonded |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +6 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$38 – $45 | ~$24 – $30 ~$15 less |
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded does not publish an official mash bill.
- 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.
Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark 46 Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 4/8 spice: Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 8 out of 10
sweetness 8/5 sweetness: Maker’s Mark 46 8 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
oak 7/5 oak: Maker’s Mark 46 7 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
heat 4/6 heat: Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark 46 3 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 4 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.
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded: A bonded 100-proof high-rye bourbon for the price of a mixer, and one of the great bargains on the shelf. Cleaner and less overwhelming than the 114 while keeping the peppery rye backbone.
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.
- Go with Old Grand-Dad Bonded if you want a bonded, high-rye workhorse at mixer money with slightly more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Maker’s Mark 46); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad Bonded).