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Maker's Mark vs Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B
Maker's Mark and Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B are cut from similar cloth: two takes on wheated bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$25 – $32 vs. ~$170 – $900).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 90.4 proof (45.2% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $32 ~$507 less | ~$170 – $900 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 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.
Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 4/6 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 6 out of 10
spice 2/3 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 3 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 5 out of 10
sweetness 8/8 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 8 out of 10
heat 3/3 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 3 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating 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.
- Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B: Twelve-year wheated bourbon from the Van Winkle line. Soft and balanced, with butterscotch, toffee and caramel and a gentle, spiced 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 significantly lower price point.
- Go with Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B if you want a soft, balanced, 12-year wheater from the Van Winkle line.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); neat (Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B).