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Maker’s Mark Cask Strength vs Woodford Reserve
Put Maker’s Mark Cask Strength next to Woodford Reserve and you have an uncut, high-wheat heavyweight set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength | Woodford Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 110 proof (55% ABV) +20 proof | 90.4 proof (45.2% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$40 – $50 | ~$35 – $42 ~$7 less |
- 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.
Woodford Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Woodford Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 9/6 sweetness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
spice 3/6 spice: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
heat 7/4 heat: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 4 out of 10
oak 5/6 oak: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 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.
- Woodford Reserve: The most widely poured premium bourbon in America, and a genuinely well-made one. Dried fruit and cocoa over a balanced 18% rye mash, finished smooth enough to please almost anyone.
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 Woodford Reserve if you want a polished, widely available crowd-pleaser that never puts a foot wrong at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Woodford Reserve).