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Maker's Mark vs Penelope Architect
Put Maker's Mark next to Penelope Architect and you have a classic, high-wheat stalwart set against a blender-built, corn-forward bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Penelope Architect |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 104 proof (52% ABV) +14 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$25 – $32 ~$37 less | ~$60 – $70 |
- 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.
Penelope Architect
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Penelope Architect
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/6 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
heat 3/6 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Penelope Architect 7 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Penelope Architect 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Penelope Architect 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- Penelope Architect: Penelope's four-grain blend finished with French oak staves chosen for their tannin. The French oak adds berry, cherry and warm spice to a vanilla-heavy base.
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 Penelope Architect if you want a four-grain bourbon with a French oak finish that adds berries and warm spice with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Architect).