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Maker's Mark vs Stagg
Put Maker's Mark next to Stagg and you have a classic, high-wheat stalwart set against a full-proof, unfiltered heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Stagg |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 130 proof (65% ABV) +40 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $32 ~$67 less | ~$70 – $120 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Stagg 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.
Stagg
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Stagg
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 3/10 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Stagg 10 out of 10
spice 2/7 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Stagg 7 out of 10
oak 4/9 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Stagg 9 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Stagg 7 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Stagg 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Stagg 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- 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.
- Stagg: Uncut and unfiltered Buffalo Trace at a proof that demands respect. Dark chocolate, espresso and charred oak arrive with genuine heat, and a few drops of water unlock a surprising amount of fruit.
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 Stagg if you want the biggest, hottest, most concentrated expression of the Buffalo Trace profile with significantly more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); neat (Stagg).