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Maker’s Mark Cask Strength vs Four Roses Single Barrel
Comparing Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and Four Roses Single Barrel reveals a matchup between an uncut, wheated heavyweight and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength | Four Roses Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 110 proof (55% ABV) +10 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$40 – $50 ~$5 less | ~$45 – $55 |
- 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.
Four Roses Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Four Roses Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 3/8 spice: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 8 out of 10
sweetness 9/6 sweetness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 5/7 fruit: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 7 out of 10
oak 5/6 oak: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10
heat 7/6 heat: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- Four Roses Single Barrel: The OBSV recipe on its own at 100 proof — the highest-rye mash Four Roses uses, paired with their most floral yeast. Cherry and clove in equal measure, and a genuinely distinctive glass.
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.
- Go with Four Roses Single Barrel if you want the most expressive, spice-and-fruit-forward single recipe in the Four Roses range.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength); neat, old-fashioned (Four Roses Single Barrel).