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Maker's Mark vs Old Grand-Dad 114
Comparing Maker's Mark and Old Grand-Dad 114 reveals a matchup between a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Old Grand-Dad 114 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 114 proof (57% ABV) +24 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $32 | ~$28 – $35 |
- Old Grand-Dad 114 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.
Old Grand-Dad 114
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Old Grand-Dad 114
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/9 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 9 out of 10
heat 3/8 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 8 out of 10
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 6 out of 10
oak 4/6 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 5 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 4 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 Grand-Dad 114: The best proof-per-dollar in American whiskey and it is not especially close. The 27% rye mash at 114 proof is loud, peppery and completely unsubtle, which is exactly why it makes such a good old-fashioned.
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 Old Grand-Dad 114 if you want maximum rye spice and proof for under thirty dollars.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad 114).