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Maker’s Mark Cask Strength vs W.L. Weller 12 Year
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and W.L. Weller 12 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an uncut, wheat-forward heavyweight versus an old-guard, wheat-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength | W.L. Weller 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 110 proof (55% ABV) +20 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$40 – $50 ~$80 less | ~$70 – $180 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- W.L. Weller 12 Year 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.
W.L. Weller 12 Year
No notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength W.L. Weller 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 7/3 heat: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10
oak 5/7 oak: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 7 out of 10
sweetness 9/8 sweetness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 8 out of 10
spice 3/2 spice: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 2 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 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.
- W.L. Weller 12 Year: Twelve years on a wheated mash at a modest 90 proof, which is the combination that made this bottle famous. Deep caramel and baked fruit with polished rather than aggressive oak — the closest widely-discussed analogue to the Pappy profile.
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 W.L. Weller 12 Year if you want age and elegance on a wheated mash, and you are willing to chase it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength); neat (W.L. Weller 12 Year).