Compare
Maker's Mark vs Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
Put Maker's Mark next to Elijah Craig Barrel Proof and you have a classic, high-wheat stalwart set against a full-proof, unfiltered heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Elijah Craig Barrel Proof |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 124 proof (62% ABV) +34 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$25 – $32 ~$57 less | ~$70 – $100 |
| 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
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 3/9 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 9 out of 10
spice 2/7 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 7 out of 10
oak 4/9 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 9 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 4 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- Maker's Mark: The bottle that made wheated bourbon mainstream. Soft, sweet, and deliberately low on spice and oak, with baked bread and honey doing most of the work. Consistency is its real feature.
- Elijah Craig Barrel Proof: The uncut, unfiltered version of the same 12-year Heaven Hill juice, and the intensity is the whole point. Thick fudge and char with cinnamon heat, a genuinely long finish, and enough proof that water meaningfully changes the glass.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Maker's Mark if you want a reliably sweet, low-spice wheater that is easy to find and easy to drink at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Elijah Craig Barrel Proof if you want maximum intensity and oak depth, and you want to control the dilution yourself with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); neat (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof).