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Maker’s Mark Cask Strength vs Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
Put Maker’s Mark Cask Strength next to Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year and you have an uncut, high-wheat heavyweight set against an uncut, high-rye heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength | Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 70% corn, 25% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 7 years |
| Proof | 110 proof (55% ABV) | 115.2 proof (57.6% ABV) +5 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$40 – $50 ~$18 less | ~$60 – $65 |
- 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.
Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
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Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 3/7 spice: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10
sweetness 9/7 sweetness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10
oak 5/7 oak: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10
heat 7/8 heat: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 8 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 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.
- Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year: Penelope's uncut flagship, now with a seven-year age statement. It is richer and spicier than the Four Grain, with caramel and rye spice carried by a lot of 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.
- Go with Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year if you want a well-priced, seven-year, uncut blend with real depth and spice with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year).