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Wild Turkey Rare Breed vs Maker's Mark
Comparing Wild Turkey Rare Breed and Maker's Mark reveals a matchup between an uncut, spice-driven heavyweight and a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Wild Turkey Rare Breed | Maker's Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | 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 | 116 proof (58% ABV) +26 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$25 – $32 ~$22 less |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Good flavor.
Maker's Mark
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Wild Turkey Rare Breed Maker's Mark
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/2 spice: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10, Maker's Mark 2 out of 10
heat 8/3 heat: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
oak 8/4 oak: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 6 out of 10, Maker's Mark 8 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 4 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 3 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Wild Turkey Rare Breed: Barrel-proof Wild Turkey at a price that still looks like a mistake. Everything the 101 does with considerably more force, and one of the most consistently praised bottles in its category.
- 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 Rare Breed if you want barrel-proof spice and oak with a reputation to match, at half what comparable bottles cost with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- 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, old-fashioned (Wild Turkey Rare Breed); neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark).