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Maker's Mark vs Evan Williams Black Label
Put Maker's Mark next to Evan Williams Black Label and you have a classic, high-wheat stalwart set against a classic, corn-forward stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Evan Williams Black Label |
|---|---|---|
| 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) +4 proof | 86 proof (43% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$25 – $32 | ~$14 – $18 ~$13 less |
- 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.
Evan Williams Black Label
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Evan Williams Black Label
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 6 out of 10
spice 2/4 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10
heat 3/3 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- 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.
- Evan Williams Black Label: The everyday black label, and a perfectly competent well bourbon. Softer and sweeter than the bonded version, with less to say but nothing objectionable.
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.
- Go with Evan Williams Black Label if you want a dependable, inexpensive mixing bourbon and nothing more complicated than that at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); cocktails, highball, rocks (Evan Williams Black Label).