Compare
Maker's Mark vs Old Forester Statesman
Comparing Maker's Mark and Old Forester Statesman reveals a matchup between a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Old Forester Statesman |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) +5 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$25 – $32 ~$24 less | ~$50 – $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 Statesman
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Old Forester Statesman
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/5 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 5 out of 10
fruit 4/7 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 7 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 5 out of 10
heat 3/4 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/2 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 2 out of 10
sweetness 8/8 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 8 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 Statesman: Old Forester's fruit-forward middle child, first made for a spy movie tie-in. Bright cherry and brown sugar lead, with cocoa and a touch of the house banana note.
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 Statesman if you want a bright, cherry-sweet Old Forester that sits between the 100 and 1920 in weight.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Old Forester Statesman).