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Woodford Reserve vs Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Put Woodford Reserve next to Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and you have a classic, high-rye stalwart set against an uncut, high-wheat heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Woodford Reserve | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90.4 proof (45.2% ABV) | 110 proof (55% ABV) +20 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$35 – $42 ~$7 less | ~$40 – $50 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Woodford Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Woodford Reserve Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 6/9 sweetness: Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10
spice 6/3 spice: Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
heat 4/7 heat: Woodford Reserve 4 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10
oak 6/5 oak: Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Woodford Reserve 3 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- Woodford Reserve: The most widely poured premium bourbon in America, and a genuinely well-made one. Dried fruit and cocoa over a balanced 18% rye mash, finished smooth enough to please almost anyone.
- 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 Woodford Reserve if you want a polished, widely available crowd-pleaser that never puts a foot wrong at a slightly lower price point.
- 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, old-fashioned, cocktails (Woodford Reserve); neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength).