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Maker’s Mark Cask Strength vs Buffalo Trace
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and Buffalo Trace sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an uncut, wheat-forward heavyweight versus an old-guard, classically built classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength | Buffalo Trace |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 110 proof (55% ABV) +20 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$40 – $50 | ~$28 – $35 ~$14 less |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Buffalo Trace 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 Cask Strength
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Buffalo Trace
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Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Buffalo Trace
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 9/6 sweetness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 6 out of 10
heat 7/4 heat: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 4 out of 10
spice 3/5 spice: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 5 out of 10
oak 5/6 oak: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 4 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- 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.
- Buffalo Trace: The reference-point Kentucky bourbon: balanced brown sugar and vanilla sweetness, a whisper of mint, and just enough oak and spice to keep it interesting. Nothing is loud, which is exactly the point at 90 proof.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Maker’s Mark Cask Strength if you want wheated sweetness at full strength for well under what most cask-strength bourbons cost without hunting for it.
- Go with Buffalo Trace if you want the balanced, everyday Kentucky benchmark that does nothing wrong at a fair price.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Buffalo Trace).