Compare
Maker’s Mark 46 vs Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Comparing Maker’s Mark 46 and Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond is a closer contest than it looks — both are wheated bourbons, separated mainly by proof (94 vs. 100).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker’s Mark 46 | Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 64% corn, 24% wheat, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 6 years |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +6 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$38 – $45 ~$11 less | ~$45 – $60 |
- 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.
Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark 46 Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/5 oak: Maker’s Mark 46 7 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Maker’s Mark 46 8 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10
spice 4/3 spice: Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark 46 3 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 4 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.
- Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond: A sweet-mash, bonded wheated bourbon from a distillery founded by two fermentation scientists, and the technical care shows in how clean it tastes. One of the strongest craft arguments on the shelf.
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 slightly lower price point.
- Go with Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded, sweet-mash wheater from a modern distillery doing genuinely careful work with slightly more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Maker’s Mark 46); neat, rocks (Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond).