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Maker's Mark vs Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond
Maker's Mark and Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond are cut from similar cloth: two takes on wheated bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$25 – $32 vs. ~$110 – $180).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 9 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$25 – $32 ~$117 less | ~$110 – $180 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- 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.
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 4/7 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
heat 3/4 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
sweetness 8/8 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 8 out of 10
spice 2/2 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 2 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating 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.
- Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond: The decanter series, released twice a year at varying ages, and Heaven Hill's most serious wheated statement. Age shows as polished oak and stewed fruit rather than tannin, but you pay handsomely for the bottle.
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 Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond if you want an aged, bonded wheater in a presentation bottle and the price is not the obstacle with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); neat (Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond).