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Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B vs Maker's Mark
Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B and Maker's Mark are cut from similar cloth: two takes on wheated bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$170 – $900 vs. ~$25 – $32).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B | Maker's Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 90.4 proof (45.2% ABV) | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$170 – $900 | ~$25 – $32 ~$507 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 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
Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker's Mark
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B Maker's Mark
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 6/4 oak: Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 6 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
spice 3/2 spice: Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 3 out of 10, Maker's Mark 2 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 5 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
sweetness 8/8 sweetness: Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 8 out of 10, Maker's Mark 8 out of 10
heat 3/3 heat: Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 3 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B 3 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B: Twelve-year wheated bourbon from the Van Winkle line. Soft and balanced, with butterscotch, toffee and caramel and a gentle, spiced finish.
- 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 Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B if you want a soft, balanced, 12-year wheater from the Van Winkle line.
- 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 significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat (Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B); neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark).