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Maker's Mark vs Ezra Brooks 99
Put Maker's Mark next to Ezra Brooks 99 and you have a classic, high-wheat stalwart set against a blender-built, corn-forward bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Ezra Brooks 99 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 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) | 99 proof (49.5% ABV) +9 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $32 | ~$22 – $28 |
- Ezra Brooks 99 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
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Ezra Brooks 99
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Ezra Brooks 99
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 6 out of 10
spice 2/4 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 4 out of 10
fruit 4/2 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 2 out of 10
heat 3/5 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- 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.
- Ezra Brooks 99: A high-proof value bottle from Lux Row. The nose is quiet, but the palate is bolder, with creamy caramel, brown sugar and a nutty, peanut-like edge.
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 Ezra Brooks 99 if you want a high-proof, nutty, caramel-forward everyday bourbon.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Ezra Brooks 99).