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Maker’s Mark Cask Strength vs Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year
Comparing Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year reveals a matchup between an uncut, wheated heavyweight and an uncut, cask-strength bruiser.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength | Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 68% corn, 18% rye, 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 110 proof (55% ABV) | 125.2 proof (62.6% ABV) +15 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$40 – $50 ~$25 less | ~$65 – $75 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 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.
Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 3/6 spice: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 6 out of 10
sweetness 9/7 sweetness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 7 out of 10
heat 7/9 heat: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 9 out of 10
oak 5/4 oak: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 4 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 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.
- Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year: Willett's own young distillate at full barrel proof. It is loud and sweet, all caramel corn, pastry and citrus, with a lot of heat for a four-year bourbon. Proof varies by batch.
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 Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year if you want a young, hot, barrel-proof pour that shows off Willett's own distillate with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength); neat (Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year).