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Maker's Mark vs Yellowstone Select
Maker's Mark and Yellowstone Select sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, wheat-forward classic versus a blender-built, classically built bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Maker's Mark | Yellowstone Select |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 93 proof (46.5% ABV) +3 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $32 ~$17 less | ~$40 – $50 |
- Yellowstone Select 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.
Yellowstone Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Maker's Mark Yellowstone Select
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: Maker's Mark 8 out of 10, Yellowstone Select 6 out of 10
spice 2/4 spice: Maker's Mark 2 out of 10, Yellowstone Select 4 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Yellowstone Select 5 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Maker's Mark 4 out of 10, Yellowstone Select 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/2 nuttiness: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Yellowstone Select 2 out of 10
heat 3/3 heat: Maker's Mark 3 out of 10, Yellowstone Select 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- 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.
- Yellowstone Select: A revived historic brand from Limestone Branch. Light and creamy, with toasted oak, vanilla and peach and a short, peppery finish. Part of the proceeds support Yellowstone National Park.
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 Yellowstone Select if you want a light, creamy everyday sipper with a historic name.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark); rocks, highball, old-fashioned (Yellowstone Select).