Compare
Maker's Mark vs Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Comparing Maker's Mark and Old Forester 1870 Original Batch reveals a matchup between a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Old Forester 1870 Original Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$25 – $32 ~$22 less | ~$45 – $55 |
- 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 Forester 1870 Original Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/4 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 4 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 6 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 7 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/2 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 2 out of 10
heat 3/3 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 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.
- Old Forester 1870 Original Batch: The first bottle in Old Forester's Whiskey Row Series, recreating the founder's habit of blending barrels from three warehouses. It is the lightest of the series, caramel sweet and easy.
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 lower price point.
- Go with Old Forester 1870 Original Batch if you want the gentlest, most easygoing pour in the Whiskey Row Series.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); neat, rocks, highball (Old Forester 1870 Original Batch).