Compare
Wild Turkey 101 vs Maker's Mark
Comparing Wild Turkey 101 and Maker's Mark reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Wild Turkey 101 | Maker's Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 101 proof (50.5% ABV) +11 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$25 – $30 | ~$25 – $32 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Wild Turkey 101
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker's Mark
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Wild Turkey 101 Maker's Mark
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/2 spice: Wild Turkey 101 8 out of 10, Maker's Mark 2 out of 10
oak 7/4 oak: Wild Turkey 101 7 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
heat 6/3 heat: Wild Turkey 101 6 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: Wild Turkey 101 6 out of 10, Maker's Mark 8 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Wild Turkey 101 4 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Wild Turkey 101 3 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Wild Turkey 101: The workhorse high-rye Kentucky bourbon and one of the best proof-to-price ratios anywhere. Vanilla and orange up front, then a genuinely spicy, peppery, tobacco-tinged middle that punches well above $25.
- 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 Wild Turkey 101 if you want bold rye spice and real proof at the lowest price of anything comparable.
- Go with Maker's Mark if you want a reliably sweet, low-spice wheater that is easy to find and easy to drink.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Wild Turkey 101); neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark).