Compare
Maker's Mark vs Four Roses Bourbon
Put Maker's Mark next to Four Roses Bourbon and you have a classic, high-wheat stalwart set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Four Roses Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) +10 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$25 – $32 | ~$22 – $28 |
- 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.
Four Roses Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Four Roses Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/5 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 5 out of 10
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10
oak 4/3 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10
heat 3/2 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 2 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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.
- Four Roses Bourbon: The yellow label entry point, blending all ten Four Roses recipes at a gentle 80 proof. Light and fruity to a fault, but the house floral character is already recognisable and it mixes beautifully.
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 with more proof behind it.
- Go with Four Roses Bourbon if you want the Four Roses fruit-and-floral signature at its lightest and cheapest.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); cocktails, highball, rocks (Four Roses Bourbon).