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Maker’s Mark Cask Strength vs Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 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 | Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 110 proof (55% ABV) | 110 proof (55% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$40 – $50 ~$18 less | ~$55 – $70 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- 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.
Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 3/8 spice: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 8 out of 10
sweetness 9/6 sweetness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 6 out of 10
oak 5/8 oak: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 8 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 4 out of 10
heat 7/7 heat: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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.
- Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel: Non-chill-filtered single barrels at 110 proof, and the format that store picks have made a cult of. Concentrated Wild Turkey character with a texture the standard bottlings do not have.
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 Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel if you want concentrated Wild Turkey character with single-barrel variation and real texture with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength); neat, old-fashioned (Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel).