🥃 Maker's Mark Classic
Maker's Mark Classic is the core Maker's Mark expression: Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 45% ABV (90 proof), a wheated mash with no rye. The lightest line of the brand, hand-dipped in red wax.
If you want the bourbon that made Maker's Mark known, this is it. Maker's Mark Classic is the core expression of the brand: Kentucky Straight Bourbon at 45% ABV (90 proof). It is a “wheated” bourbon: red winter wheat sits in the mash alongside the corn, so the taste is softer and sweeter than in rye bourbons. The producer describes cherry, vanilla, caramel and light spice.
The mash is 70% corn, 16% soft red winter wheat and 14% malted barley. US rules require bourbon to contain at least 51% corn and to mature in new charred oak barrels. According to Difford's Guide, aging lasts six to seven and a half years, with barrels rotated between warehouse tiers. Each bottle is dipped by hand in red wax.
Why this matters to you. Classic is the lightest line of Maker's Mark: the 46, Cask Strength and 101 expressions have higher strength or extra oak finishing. Compare them by the ABV on the label. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol.
Facts
| Legal basis | USA: 27 CFR § 5.143 (bourbon: at least 51% corn, new charred oak barrels); Kentucky Straight Bourbon |
|---|---|
| Raw material | 70% corn, 16% red winter wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Cask type | new charred oak barrels |
| Minimum maturation | 6–7.5 years (per Difford's Guide), no age statement on the label |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 45% ABV (90 proof) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Maker's Mark Classic → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Rye and corn in whisky, 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Maker's Mark, 🥃 Bourbon whiskey
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Maker's Mark 101, 🥃 Maker's Mark 46, 🥃 Maker's Mark Cask Strength, 🥃 Maker's Mark 101, 🥃 Maker's Mark 46, 🥃 Maker's Mark Cask Strength, 🥃 Elijah Craig Small Batch
Frequently asked questions
Does Maker's Mark Classic contain rye?
No. The mash is corn, red winter wheat and malted barley; there is no rye.
What is the ABV of Maker's Mark Classic?
45% ABV (90 proof), according to the producer's page.
How long is Maker's Mark Classic aged?
According to Difford's Guide, six to seven and a half years; the bottle does not state an age.
What does “wheated bourbon” mean?
A bourbon whose mash uses red winter wheat instead of rye alongside the corn, which makes the taste softer and sweeter than in rye bourbons.
Is Maker's Mark Classic a Kentucky bourbon?
The producer describes it as Kentucky Straight Bourbon. US rules require bourbon to contain at least 51% corn and to mature in new charred oak barrels.
What to read next
- 🥃 Maker's Mark 46 — Maker's Mark 46 is fully matured Maker's Mark finished in a barrel with ten toasted French oak staves; 47% ABV (94 proof) per Difford's Guide. More oak than Classic, no age statement. The producer's page gives two ABV figures.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🥃 Maker's Mark Cask Strength — Maker's Mark Cask Strength is barrel-proof Maker's Mark bottled undiluted: 107–114 proof (about 53.5–57% ABV) depending on the batch, aged at least seven years, in small batches of around 24 barrels.
- 🥃 Maker's Mark 101 — Maker's Mark 101 is the classic Maker's Mark recipe bottled at 101 proof, about 50.5% ABV, fuller than Classic. The producer's page lists it as a limited release, so availability depends on the market.
Similar
🥃 Maker's Mark 101 · 🥃 Maker's Mark Cask Strength · 🥃 Maker's Mark 46 · 🥃 Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch · 🥃 Four Roses Bourbon · 🥃 Four Roses Small Batch
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Maker's Mark: Classic (Kentucky Straight Bourbon; 90 proof, 45 % Alc./Vol.; wheated bourbon; hand-dipped in red wax)
- Difford's Guide: Maker's Mark Distillery (70 % corn, 16 % soft red winter wheat, 14 % malted barley; 6 to 7,5 years; Maker's 46)
- Bourbon Obsessed: Maker's Mark Bourbon: Proof Matters (Original 90, 101, Cask Strength 108–114 proof; same mash bill)
- 27 CFR § 5.143 (US): standards of identity for whisky — bourbon (min. 51 % corn, charred new oak; straight: min. 2 years)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)