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Maker’s Mark Cask Strength vs Smooth Ambler Old Scout
Put Maker’s Mark Cask Strength next to Smooth Ambler Old Scout and you have an uncut, high-wheat heavyweight set against a blender-built, high-rye bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength | Smooth Ambler Old Scout |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 5 years |
| Proof | 110 proof (55% ABV) +11 proof | 99 proof (49.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$40 – $50 | ~$40 – $50 |
- 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.
Smooth Ambler Old Scout
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Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Smooth Ambler Old Scout
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 9/5 sweetness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10
spice 3/7 spice: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 out of 10
oak 5/6 oak: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10
heat 7/6 heat: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- 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.
- Smooth Ambler Old Scout: Sourced MGP bourbon selected and bottled in West Virginia, and one of the more honest sourced brands about exactly what it is. The characteristic MGP dill-and-pepper signature, cleanly presented.
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 Smooth Ambler Old Scout if you want the classic MGP high-rye profile from a bottler that has always been upfront about sourcing.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Smooth Ambler Old Scout).