Compare
Maker's Mark vs Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
Comparing Maker's Mark and Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel reveals a matchup between a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple and a traditional, even-keeled Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 94 proof (47% ABV) +4 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$25 – $32 ~$42 less | ~$60 – $80 |
| 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 Toasted Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 4/9 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 9 out of 10
spice 2/5 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 5 out of 10
heat 3/4 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 4 out of 10
sweetness 8/8 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 8 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- 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 Toasted Barrel: Finished in a second toasted (not charred) barrel, which produces an unmistakable toasted-marshmallow note. Sweet and heavily wooded, and one of the more distinctive finishes any major producer makes.
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 Toasted Barrel if you want a distinctive toasted-oak, marshmallow-sweet finish you will not find in a standard bourbon.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); neat, rocks (Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel).