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Maker’s Mark 46 vs W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Maker’s Mark 46 and W.L. Weller Special Reserve are cut from similar cloth: two takes on wheated bourbons, where the real difference is proof (94 vs. 90).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker’s Mark 46 | W.L. Weller Special Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) +4 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$38 – $45 | ~$30 – $60 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve 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.
W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark 46 W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/4 oak: Maker’s Mark 46 7 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 4 out of 10
spice 4/2 spice: Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 2 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Maker’s Mark 46 8 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 5 out of 10
heat 4/3 heat: Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark 46 3 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- 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.
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve: The entry point to the Weller line and an easy introduction to wheated bourbon. Soft honey and vanilla with almost no rye bite, a bread-dough body, and a short, sweet finish that asks nothing of you.
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 without hunting for it.
- Go with W.L. Weller Special Reserve if you want the softest, sweetest, most approachable wheated pour of the group.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Maker’s Mark 46); neat, rocks, highball (W.L. Weller Special Reserve).