14 Bourbons To Try If You Like Maker's Mark

If you're making your way through the world of bourbon but have already confirmed Maker's Mark as one of your favorite bottles, there are probably a few reasons for that. It's a wheated bourbon, which are generally characterized by their soft and mellow character. Added to this are classical bourbon sweetness, a touch of fruit, and a gentle spice. It makes it one of the easiest bottles to recommend for bourbon beginners but what if you want to go beyond Maker's Mark? It's that question I answer here by looking at 14 bottles that act as a perfect next step. I've enjoyed all of these bottles and feel certain parts of their character make them worth trying.

However, this isn't just a list of the 14 bottles that taste most like Maker's Mark. I've also included bottles that share some bourbon DNA but offer something slightly different. That could be perhaps a bottle that's a little bolder or spicier, but still makes sense for a Maker's Mark drinker. Whether you are wanting something similar or are looking for some direction on what next step to take, I've got you covered here. If you love Maker's Mark, you're likely to enjoy these 14 bottles, and they may even open your eyes to a different side of bourbon.

The worthiness of this recommendation will depend on how you are with high strength spirits. If you enjoy Maker's Mark but want to turn up the volume, it's a great choice. The 'cask strength' here relates to how the whiskey is the same strength in the bottles as it was in the barrel. Most whiskeys are watered down to meet a certain proof but that doesn't happen here. The result is a much more intense pour that comes with a higher level of heat. Yet, what's impressive here is that it's able to do that without losing any of the soft and approachable character that makes the original so popular.

With the tasting experience, you'll enjoy some highly concentrated flavors. That includes the familiar butterscotch and dark toffee notes as well as some roasted nuts and baking spice. These flavors a much richer but also, you'll get more oak and a warming burst of alcohol. Despite its higher proof, I find Maker's Mark Cask Strength surprisingly rounded rather than aggressively hot. It's probably the best bottle in the Maker's Mark range and it's ideal for those who want more flavor while also sampling a high proof whiskey. If you were hoping to start with something a little less powerful, there are a few other great options to come here.

If you like the soft and sweet aspects of a wheated bourbon, Larceny Small Batch is a safe choice. Most bourbons use rye in the mash bill which helps to give it more spice but, as with Maker's Mark, Larceny swaps that rye for wheat. It means the two bottles share quite a few similarities. It's a little more restrained than the Maker's Mark but still has plenty of flavors that you're likely to appreciate. That mainly comes from a nice array of sweet flavors that include a classic caramel, vanilla, and honey combination.

Alongside that you get some light baking spice and oak that prevents it from being overly sweet. There is also a creamy texture here that helps to carry all of these flavors nicely to a gentle finish. It's an approachable and easy drinking whiskey for those looking for an everyday bourbon. It doesn't have the intensity or complexity of other bottles on this list, but that may not be what you're looking for anyway. It also tends to be a little cheaper than Maker's Mark too, making it a reliable alternative at a reasonable price.

Here we go the other way in terms of cost, as Weller Special Reserve is a wheated bourbon often at least twice as expensive as Maker's Mark. Despite that extra cost, it's a price well worth paying if you can find it at its retail price, as it's a beautiful bottle of bourbon. What you get compared to Maker's Mark is whiskey that is slightly richer and fruitier. You get a sense of that on the nose as you'll get to enjoy a deep caramel along with orchard fruits and toasted bread. As is often the case with bourbon, a lovely nose is followed by a lovely palate.

The sweet flavors are especially beautiful with the caramel from the nose continuing to the palate where it's joined by vanilla and toffee. There isn't much oak here, but along with some cinnamon, it gives the whiskey more structure and depth. Hints of cherry and brown sugar also help to make it a bottle that has plenty of complexity despite it having a soft mouthfeel and being easy to drink. If you appreciate the softness of Maker's Mark, this takes it to the next level and further showcases the elegance of wheated bourbon.

I almost didn't include Buffalo Trace as it almost feels as too obvious a choice. Yet, if you've not tried it, then you need to. This is the first bottle on the list that isn't wheated but still shares many characteristics with Maker's Mark. The rye in its mash bill does give it a little more bite than you may be used to but Buffalo Trace is still a bourbon that is highly approachable. It serves as a great introduction to what you can expect from a good whiskey.

This bottle does an excellent job of highlighting classical bourbon flavors such as caramel and vanilla. It feels a little more structured than Maker's Mark, as you get a touch more oak, a gentle layer of baking spice, and some brown sugar. This bottle is less of a direct substitute for Maker's Mark and more of an introduction to a different side of bourbon. If you're after a little more spice and complexity, Buffalo Trace is an easy recommendation. The balance and approachability makes it a good yardstick you can use to judge other whiskey.

Four Roses is generally a good bourbon brand to recommend, as its whiskeys often give you a fruitier profile than what you may be used to. There is also a spicier element here, but all these elements combine to make Four Roses Small Batch an impressive bourbon. Caramel and vanilla are two of the most obvious sweet notes, and they are followed by ripe fruit and spice, mainly in the form of cinnamon and pepper. That fruit mainly comes in the form of red berries that are a lot more prominent than most of the bottles here.

It doesn't quite have the softness of Maker's Mark, but this is also a bourbon that has a particularly smooth texture that gives it some familiarity. It also has enough body to carry its flavors nicely to a warm finish. That finish has more spice than Maker's Mark, but it remains relatively rounded. If you enjoy Maker's Mark but sometimes wish it had a little more spice and complexity, Four Roses Small Batch is an excellent next bottle to try.

Rebel 100 is another easy recommendation for Maker's Mark fans because here we go back to the realm of wheated bourbon. One of the biggest differences is shown in the name, as this comes in at a higher 100-proof. That gives it a little more weight and warmth, with an overall bolder drinking experience. It makes it a good choice of you enjoy that familiar sweet profile but want something with a little more punch. Rebel 100 leans into classic bourbon flavors and there isn't anything unique here which is perhaps why it's an underrated bourbon, but it does the basics very well.

There is some honey on the palate along with some brown sugar. Its sweet notes are balanced by toasted oak and some gentle spices. It helps to keep the whiskey well rounded, yet the extra proof gives those flavors a little more intensity. It also helps to support a fairly long and warm finish. When compared, I'd say Rebel 100 is less polished but more robust. It doesn't have the same creamy mouthfeel, but that roughness is part of its charm as it gives you a more muscular version of the wheated bourbon style.

Here we have another bourbon that proudly displays its proof in the name. This bottle is probably the biggest stylistic departure from Maker's Mark but that's why I wanted to include it. Wild Turkey 101 is an impressive bourbon and one that heavily showcases the use of rye. It is spicier, bolder and more assertive than Maker's Mark, while still having those sweet notes you most likely appreciate. The likes of the vanilla present here is lovely, but you also get a range of earthy notes that may not quite be so familiar.

The spice here is prominent and you can even pick out individual notes, such as cinnamon, black pepper, and clove. Toasted oak is a feature throughout the tasting experience, and you can even find a touch of leather. All that is aided by the 101-proof that gives it plenty of body and a warming finish. I'd recommend this if you wanted to move away from wheated bourbon but without facing anything too challenging.

There are many great bourbons that come from the Heaven Hill distillery, and its own bottled-in-bond expression is a shining example. A few of these bottles I've chosen as they have a smooth mouthfeel despite not featuring wheat in the mash bill. This is a great example, and it keeps you in that Maker's Mark comfort zone while being able to try something different. At 100-proof gives it a weight that is often present in the best bottled-in-bond bottles and allows you to taste a more robust whiskey without needing to make the leap to barrel strength spirits.

The caramel and vanilla notes are especially deep, and you'll taste some sumptuous butterscotch alongside them. Additional depth comes from a little oak char, cinnamon, and a touch of fruit. You get a little bit of a rye kick at the finish but overall, it's a rich and mellow bourbon. It's a good bourbon to try as it's only a little richer, robust, and spicier than Maker's Mark. It allows you to taste that influence without taking a big leap of faith.

As I mentioned in the introduction, there are a few different reasons why various bottles made this list. Eagle Rare is one of those bourbons that has a lot of differences to Maker's Mark but shares a similar level of approachability. If you enjoy an easy-drinking bourbon but are interested in new flavors, it doesn't get much better than Eagle Rare. What you get here is a bourbon with considerably more oak and maturity. There is a little rye spice but it's more of a soft and well-balanced spirit that is almost impossible to dislike.

What I love is the contrast of that oak against its sweetness, which mainly presents as deep caramel and vanilla notes. The spice is fairly mild but it's enough to give it some warmth, and then you get additional depth from nuts and chocolate. Compared to Maker's Mark it feels more refined. As well as the difference in tasting notes, you get a drier and longer finish. Yet, the proof is the same at 90 and both are elegant bottles. If you want to sample how extended maturation affects a bourbon while still enjoying something mellow, it's a great choice.

This Redemption whiskey is simply one of the best affordable wheated bourbons you can buy. It's a pick that is more of a straight swap rather than giving you something new to discover. It has that soft style and a pleasantly sweet profile. That sweetness mainly comes from vanilla and there are a few unique notes to discover here such as chocolate and hazelnut. You can also find a little spice of cinnamon and nutmeg, despite it being wheated.

It's a rich and full-bodied bourbon that offers a similar tasting experience to Maker's Mark but just with a slight change of tasting notes. It's not a particularly deep or robust bourbon but it doesn't need to be. If you like Maker's Mark because you enjoy smooth, sweet bourbon without an aggressive rye spice, Redemption Wheated Bourbon is absolutely worth trying. You may find that you prefer the style of this whiskey, but at the minimum, you're likely to find a worthy alternative.

It's not wheated bourbon, but the ever-impressive Woodford Reserve makes this list as it has many of the qualities you'd expect from one. It has a softness that is rare for a whiskey that contains rye and plenty of sweetness to go with it. It has a lovely combination where the caramel is balanced by more elegant earthy notes that give it some depth. There is nice thread of oak throughout the tasting experience, but you'll also enjoy some leather and tobacco.

These features perhaps make Woodford Reserve a little more layered than Maker's Mark, as you're more likely to find additional tasting notes with each sip. In contrast, Maker's Mark is still mellower and a little softer. As often is the case here, which is the better bourbon generally just comes down to personal preference. I love Woodford Reserve as with its taste and rich texture, it feels like a good gateway to more opulent and expensive bourbon while still being reasonably priced.

Another wheated bourbon that you should seek out is this bottle from Green River. It has a similar mash bill while still offering enough of its own personality to make it worth exploring. What strikes you immediately is the nose, as it's quite fruity, especially with a touch of peach. Yet, this fruitiness doesn't really translate to the palate where you'll be greeted by some hazelnut instead. There is a lovely sweetness that comes mainly in the form of honey.

You'll find a little baking spice underneath, but the wheat helps to keep this relatively restrained. There is a touch of oak but overall, it's a quite simple bourbon. The sweetness is perhaps a little brighter than with Maker's Mark but overall, it's more straightforward. For me, this makes sense for anyone looking to stay in the realms of wheated bourbon while exploring how a similar mash bill can still lead to a different tasting experience.

Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond is a worthy recommendation for Maker's Mark fans who want to explore the more premium side of wheated bourbon. It's comfortably more expensive but you can still often pick up a bottle in the $60 to $70 range. You'll enjoy a bourbon that has a soft and rounded character while giving you considerably more depth and oak influence than you may have come to expect. It also has a little more punch at 100-proof.

The tasting notes you'll get here aren't actually unique, but instead you'll enjoy their deeper and richer taste. There is a butterscotch sweetness that sits on a creamy and viscous texture which allows its notes to sit with you rather than quickly fading away. The 7 years of aging brings you some mild toasted oak, while a touch of cinnamon spice gives it a gentle warmth. Maker's Mark is an excellent everyday bourbon, whereas this Old Fitzgerald bottle is perfect for when you want to treat yourself to something with more age and complexity.

Elijah Craig Small Batch is another excellent everyday non-wheated bourbon that serves as a great alternative to Maker's Mark. The overall profile here is balanced, sweet and approachable, giving it those qualities you most likely already enjoy. On top of that, the rye helps to give it a little more spice and structure. The caramel is especially sumptuous with sweetness also coming from a touch of brown sugar. There is a subtle fruit but the main difference here to Maker's Mark comes from its earthy qualities.

There is a toasted oak that is a lot more prominent, and pepper and cinnamon gives it more of a bite. This makes the whiskey feel slightly drier and more robust. Despite this, it doesn't come close to being aggressive. It allows you to experience a more oak-forward bourbon without immediately jumping into something high-proof or overly expensive. The absence of wheat is noticeable but that doesn't make it harsh, and it still has plenty of sweetness. It is different enough to be interesting while sharing the common flavors of classic bourbon.

Maker's Mark is a bourbon I have long enjoyed, and its appeal is obvious with its combination of beautiful flavor while being elegantly smooth. My vast experience with bourbon allows me to appreciate this whiskey while also allowing me to know which other bottles I've tasted that would make a good recommendation for those looking for something a little different.

I've enjoyed all the bottles I've listed here and feel they relate to Maker's Mark in some way while giving you a look at different characteristics of bourbon. The result isn't just a basic list of affordable wheated bourbon, but whiskeys that will allow you to deepen your knowledge of whiskey without straying too far from what you love about Maker's Mark.