Compare
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch vs Maker's Mark
Comparing Old Forester 1870 Original Batch and Maker's Mark reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 1870 Original Batch | Maker's Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$25 – $32 ~$22 less |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker's Mark
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch Maker's Mark
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 4/2 spice: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 4 out of 10, Maker's Mark 2 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 6 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
sweetness 7/8 sweetness: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 7 out of 10, Maker's Mark 8 out of 10
oak 5/4 oak: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 5 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
nuttiness 2/3 nuttiness: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 2 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
heat 3/3 heat: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 3 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Old Forester 1870 Original Batch: The first bottle in Old Forester's Whiskey Row Series, recreating the founder's habit of blending barrels from three warehouses. It is the lightest of the series, caramel sweet and easy.
- 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.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Old Forester 1870 Original Batch if you want the gentlest, most easygoing pour in the Whiskey Row Series.
- 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.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (Old Forester 1870 Original Batch); neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark).