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Maker’s Mark Cask Strength vs Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and Old Forester 1870 Original Batch sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an uncut, wheat-forward heavyweight versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength | Old Forester 1870 Original Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 110 proof (55% ABV) +20 proof | 90 proof (45% 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.
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 7/3 heat: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 3 out of 10
sweetness 9/7 sweetness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 7 out of 10
spice 3/4 spice: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 4 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/2 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 2 out of 10
oak 5/5 oak: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- 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.
- Old Forester 1870 Original Batch: The first bottle in Old Forester's Whiskey Row Series, recreating the founder's habit of blending barrels from three warehouses. It is the lightest of the series, caramel sweet and easy.
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 Old Forester 1870 Original Batch if you want the gentlest, most easygoing pour in the Whiskey Row Series.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength); neat, rocks, highball (Old Forester 1870 Original Batch).