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Rowan's Creek vs Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Put Rowan's Creek next to Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and you have a classic, corn-forward stalwart set against an uncut, high-wheat heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Rowan's Creek | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 100.1 proof (50.0% ABV) | 110 proof (55% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$40 – $50 | ~$40 – $50 |
- Rowan's Creek does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Rowan's Creek
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Rowan's Creek Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 7/3 spice: Rowan's Creek 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/9 sweetness: Rowan's Creek 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Rowan's Creek 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: Rowan's Creek 4 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Rowan's Creek 4 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
nuttiness 2/3 nuttiness: Rowan's Creek 2 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Rowan's Creek: A small-batch Willett bottling that tastes rye-forward and herbal. Honey and caramel sit under mint, hay and warm spice, with a peppermint lift on the finish.
- 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 Rowan's Creek if you want an herbal, minty, rye-forward Willett bottling.
- 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, cocktails (Rowan's Creek); neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength).