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Maker's Mark vs Uncle Nearest 1856
Put Maker's Mark next to Uncle Nearest 1856 and you have a classic, high-wheat stalwart set against a sourced, corn-forward blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Uncle Nearest 1856 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $32 ~$34 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Uncle Nearest 1856 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.
Uncle Nearest 1856
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Uncle Nearest 1856
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/5 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10
oak 4/7 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 7 out of 10
heat 3/5 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 7 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 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.
- Uncle Nearest 1856: Named for Nathan 'Nearest' Green, the enslaved distiller who taught Jack Daniel, and now backed by the brand's own distillery in Shelbyville. Sweet and maple-leaning with the charcoal-mellowed softness of the style.
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 Uncle Nearest 1856 if you want a sweet, maple-forward Tennessee whiskey with a story worth knowing behind it with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Uncle Nearest 1856).