Compare
W.L. Weller Special Reserve vs Maker's Mark
Comparing W.L. Weller Special Reserve and Maker's Mark is a closer contest than it looks — both are wheated bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$30 – $60 vs. ~$25 – $32).
Key Specifications
| Feature | W.L. Weller Special Reserve | Maker's Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$30 – $60 | ~$25 – $32 ~$17 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve 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 Special Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker's Mark
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
W.L. Weller Special Reserve Maker's Mark
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 7/8 sweetness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 out of 10, Maker's Mark 8 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 5 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
spice 2/2 spice: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 2 out of 10, Maker's Mark 2 out of 10
oak 4/4 oak: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 4 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
heat 3/3 heat: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land close together on every flavor axis — the differences are in texture and proof more than character.
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve: The entry point to the Weller line and an easy introduction to wheated bourbon. Soft honey and vanilla with almost no rye bite, a bread-dough body, and a short, sweet finish that asks nothing of you.
- 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 W.L. Weller Special Reserve if you want the softest, sweetest, most approachable wheated pour of the group.
- 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 lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (W.L. Weller Special Reserve); neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark).