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Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond vs Maker’s Mark 46
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond and Maker’s Mark 46 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, wheat-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond | Maker’s Mark 46 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +6 proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$38 – $45 ~$9 less |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker’s Mark 46
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Maker’s Mark 46
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/4 spice: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
sweetness 7/8 sweetness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 8 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond: The bonded entry in the Whiskey Row series and a noticeable step up in density from the standard 100. More oak and more weight, though the price gap to the 100 proof is harder to justify than the flavour gap suggests.
- Maker’s Mark 46: Finished with seared French oak staves inside the barrel, which adds the spice and wood that the standard bottling deliberately lacks. The most useful upgrade in the Maker's range.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded, denser take on the Old Forester profile with more barrel behind it with slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with Maker’s Mark 46 if you want the softness of Maker's Mark with real oak and spice layered over it at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Maker’s Mark 46).