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Willett Pot Still Reserve vs Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Put Willett Pot Still Reserve next to Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and you have a contemporary, corn-forward craft build set against an uncut, high-wheat heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Willett Pot Still Reserve | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 110 proof (55% ABV) +16 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $60 | ~$40 – $50 ~$8 less |
- Willett Pot Still 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
Willett Pot Still Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Willett Pot Still Reserve Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 4/7 heat: Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10
sweetness 7/9 sweetness: Willett Pot Still Reserve 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10
spice 5/3 spice: Willett Pot Still Reserve 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
oak 6/5 oak: Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- Willett Pot Still Reserve: Famous first for the pot-still-shaped decanter and second for the whiskey, which is a fair ordering. Pleasant, sweet and fruit-leaning, with a good deal of the price attached to the glass.
- Maker’s Mark Cask Strength: Undiluted Maker's, and the version that finally gives the wheated recipe some weight. Dense caramel and honey with real warmth, and one of the more affordable cask-strength bottles anywhere.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Willett Pot Still Reserve if you want a distinctive bottle on the shelf and an easy, fruit-forward pour inside it.
- Go with Maker’s Mark Cask Strength if you want wheated sweetness at full strength for well under what most cask-strength bourbons cost.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Willett Pot Still Reserve); neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength).