Compare
Old Grand-Dad Bonded vs Maker’s Mark 46
Old Grand-Dad Bonded 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 Grand-Dad Bonded | Maker’s Mark 46 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 63% corn, 27% 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 2 | ~$24 – $30 ~$15 less | ~$38 – $45 |
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded 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
Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker’s Mark 46
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Grand-Dad Bonded Maker’s Mark 46
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/4 spice: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 8 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
sweetness 5/8 sweetness: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 8 out of 10
oak 5/7 oak: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 7 out of 10
heat 6/4 heat: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
nuttiness 5/3 nuttiness: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 3 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 4 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded: A bonded 100-proof high-rye bourbon for the price of a mixer, and one of the great bargains on the shelf. Cleaner and less overwhelming than the 114 while keeping the peppery rye backbone.
- 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 Grand-Dad Bonded if you want a bonded, high-rye workhorse at mixer money 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.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad Bonded); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Maker’s Mark 46).