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Maker’s Mark Cask Strength vs Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Put Maker’s Mark Cask Strength next to Old Grand-Dad Bonded and you have an uncut, high-wheat heavyweight set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength | Old Grand-Dad Bonded |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 110 proof (55% ABV) +10 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$40 – $50 | ~$24 – $30 ~$18 less |
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded 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.
Old Grand-Dad Bonded
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Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 3/8 spice: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 8 out of 10
sweetness 9/5 sweetness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 4 out of 10
heat 7/6 heat: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 6 out of 10
oak 5/5 oak: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 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.
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded: A bonded 100-proof high-rye bourbon for the price of a mixer, and one of the great bargains on the shelf. Cleaner and less overwhelming than the 114 while keeping the peppery rye backbone.
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 Grand-Dad Bonded if you want a bonded, high-rye workhorse at mixer money.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad Bonded).