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Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond vs Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond and Maker’s Mark Cask Strength sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an uncut, wheat-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| 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) | 110 proof (55% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$40 – $50 ~$5 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 Cask Strength
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Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/3 spice: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
sweetness 7/9 sweetness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10
oak 7/5 oak: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 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 Cask Strength: Undiluted Maker's, and the version that finally gives the wheated recipe some weight. Dense caramel and honey with real warmth, and one of the more affordable cask-strength bottles anywhere.
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.
- Go with Maker’s Mark Cask Strength if you want wheated sweetness at full strength for well under what most cask-strength bourbons cost.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond); neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength).