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W.L. Weller 12 Year vs Maker’s Mark 46
W.L. Weller 12 Year and Maker’s Mark 46 are cut from similar cloth: two takes on wheated bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$70 – $180 vs. ~$38 – $45).
Key Specifications
| Feature | W.L. Weller 12 Year | Maker’s Mark 46 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 proof (45% ABV) | 94 proof (47% ABV) +4 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$70 – $180 | ~$38 – $45 ~$84 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- W.L. Weller 12 Year 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
W.L. Weller 12 Year
No notes yet.
Maker’s Mark 46
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
W.L. Weller 12 Year Maker’s Mark 46
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/4 spice: W.L. Weller 12 Year 2 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: W.L. Weller 12 Year 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
heat 3/4 heat: W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
sweetness 8/8 sweetness: W.L. Weller 12 Year 8 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 8 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: W.L. Weller 12 Year 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- W.L. Weller 12 Year: Twelve years on a wheated mash at a modest 90 proof, which is the combination that made this bottle famous. Deep caramel and baked fruit with polished rather than aggressive oak — the closest widely-discussed analogue to the Pappy profile.
- 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 W.L. Weller 12 Year if you want age and elegance on a wheated mash, and you are willing to chase 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 significantly lower price point and without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat (W.L. Weller 12 Year); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Maker’s Mark 46).