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Maker's Mark vs Stellum Bourbon
Comparing Maker's Mark and Stellum Bourbon reveals a matchup between a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple and an uncut, cask-strength bruiser.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Stellum Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 115 proof (57.5% ABV) +25 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $32 ~$22 less | ~$45 – $55 |
- Stellum Bourbon 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.
Stellum Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Stellum Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/7 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Stellum Bourbon 7 out of 10
heat 3/7 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Stellum Bourbon 7 out of 10
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Stellum Bourbon 6 out of 10
oak 4/6 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Stellum Bourbon 6 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Stellum Bourbon 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Stellum Bourbon 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.
- Stellum Bourbon: Barrell's lower-priced, cask-strength line. It drinks gentler than its proof, with vanilla and caramel on top of cinnamon, clove and a long, spicy finish.
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 Stellum Bourbon if you want a cask-strength, multi-state blend that drinks easier than its proof with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); neat, old-fashioned (Stellum Bourbon).