Maker's Mark, Jack Daniel's and Wild Turkey sit side by side on almost every American whiskey shelf. All three are easy to find and fairly priced, but their grain recipes, production methods and bottling strengths are different, and so is the way they taste.
This guide compares the three by category, grain, production, flavour and serve, and suggests which one to pick.
The differences at a glance
| Maker's Mark | Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 | Wild Turkey 8 Year Old | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Bourbon | Tennessee whiskey | Bourbon |
| Made in | Loretto, Kentucky | Lynchburg, Tennessee | Lawrenceburg, Kentucky |
| Grain twist | Winter wheat instead of rye | 80% corn, a little rye | Uses rye |
| Signature step | "Wheated" bourbon | Charcoal-filtered before ageing | 8 years old, low barrel-entry proof |
| Age statement | None | None | 8 years |
| ABV | 45% | 40% | 50.5% (101 proof) |
| Style | Soft and sweet | Mellow and light | Bold and spicy |
In short: Maker's Mark is soft and sweet, Jack Daniel's is mellow and light, and Wild Turkey 8 is rich and powerful.
Bourbon vs Tennessee whiskey
Maker's Mark and Wild Turkey are bourbons; Jack Daniel's is a Tennessee whiskey.
Bourbon must be made in the US from a mash of at least 51% corn and aged in new charred oak, among other rules. Tennessee whiskey follows very similar rules, but adds one step: the new spirit is filtered through sugar-maple charcoal before it goes into the barrel (the Lincoln County Process).
We cover the definitions in more detail in Jack Daniel's vs Jim Beam and Bourbon vs whisky.
Wheat or rye: the mash bill
After corn, the "flavour grain" in the mash bill shapes a bourbon's character.
| Approximate mash bill | |
|---|---|
| Maker's Mark | ~70% corn, ~16% winter wheat, ~14% malted barley |
| Jack Daniel's | 80% corn, 12% malted barley, 8% rye |
| Wild Turkey | ~75% corn, ~13% rye, ~12% malted barley |
- Rye brings spice and a drier edge
- Wheat is gentler, giving a rounder, sweeter whiskey
No rye means a soft, sweet Maker's Mark; a higher share of rye helps make Wild Turkey spicy.
Maker's Mark
Maker's Mark is made at the Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky. Bill Samuels Sr. bought the distillery in 1953, and the first bottles were filled in 1958.
- The best-known wheated bourbon: red winter wheat replaces rye
- Every square bottle is hand-dipped in red wax
- 45% ABV
Flavour: caramel and vanilla with toasted bread and sweet wheat; soft on the palate with ripe fruit, and a gentle finish. With little spice, it is a good first bourbon for people who find bourbon "hot".
Jack Daniel's Old No. 7
Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 is a Tennessee whiskey from the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, registered in 1866 and among the oldest registered distilleries in the US.
- New spirit drips through about 3 m of sugar-maple charcoal over 3–5 days
- Aged in new American white oak
- 40% ABV
Flavour: caramel, vanilla, charred oak and a banana-like sweetness. The charcoal mellowing strips out rough edges, giving a smooth, light whiskey. It is the lowest in strength of the three, which makes it a natural mixer.
Wild Turkey 8 Year Old
Wild Turkey 8 Year Old comes from the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The name is said to come from 1940, when an executive of the company that sold it took some of the whiskey along on a wild turkey hunt.
- "8 years old, 101 proof (50.5%)" is the signature of master distiller Jimmy Russell, who joined the company in 1954
- Aged in heavily charred "alligator char" barrels, burned until the inside cracks like alligator skin
- Barrelled at a lower strength than the legal maximum of 125 proof (62.5%)
Flavour: oak, honey and cinnamon on the nose; butterscotch and black tea moving to dark chocolate, dark cherry and burnt sugar, with a long, spicy finish. The richest and fullest of the three.
Flavour side by side
| Maker's Mark | Jack Daniel's | Wild Turkey 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | High | Medium-high | Sweet with bitter notes |
| Spice | Low | Light | High |
| Texture | Soft | Smooth and light | Powerful |
| Aromas | Caramel, wheat, toasted bread | Caramel, banana, charred oak | Oak, honey, cinnamon |
| Finish | Gentle | Gentle | Long and spicy |
None of the three is smoky.
Best ways to drink them
| Serve | Maker's Mark | Jack Daniel's | Wild Turkey 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highball | ◎ sweet aromas lift | ◎ light and easy | ○ holds up even when strong |
| With cola | ○ | ◎ the classic "Jack and Coke" | ○ |
| On the rocks | ◎ sweetness opens slowly | ○ | ◎ changes as the ice melts |
| Neat | ○ | △ can feel light | ◎ full flavour |
- Highball: in Japan, the whisky highball (whisky and chilled soda water over plenty of ice) is the everyday way to drink whisky. Try roughly 1 part whisky to 3–4 parts soda; see how to make a highball
- Wild Turkey 8 neat: it is strong, so sip slowly with a glass of water on the side
Reference prices in Japan
| Whisky | Reference price in Japan (700 ml) |
|---|---|
| Maker's Mark | about ¥3,700 (suggested retail price) |
| Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 | about ¥3,200 (suggested retail price) |
| Wild Turkey 8 Year Old | about ¥3,400–3,800 (online retail) |
Prices are reference prices in Japan as of October 2026, including tax. They vary by shop and over time.
Which one should you choose?
| If you... | Choose |
|---|---|
| are new to bourbon or like soft, sweet whiskey | Maker's Mark |
| mostly drink with cola or in light highballs | Jack Daniel's |
| want something rich and full-bodied | Wild Turkey 8 |
| like sipping on the rocks | Maker's Mark or Wild Turkey 8 |
| want a cocktail base | Jack Daniel's or Maker's Mark |
Going one step further
Each brand has a richer sibling worth trying:
- Maker's Mark 46: finished Maker's Mark rested longer with seared French oak staves in the barrel, adding oak spice and depth (47%)
- Gentleman Jack: Jack Daniel's charcoal-filtered twice, before and after ageing, for an even smoother sip (40%)
- Wild Turkey 101: the brand's flagship at the same 50.5%, without an age statement; bold rye spice and vanilla sweetness
Explore more in our American whiskey guide and our sweet whisky guide.
Summary
- Maker's Mark: a wheated bourbon, soft and sweet (45%)
- Jack Daniel's: a charcoal-mellowed Tennessee whiskey, smooth and light (40%)
- Wild Turkey 8: an 8-year-old, 50.5% bourbon, rich and powerful
Choose Maker's Mark for sweetness, Jack Daniel's for easy mixing, and Wild Turkey 8 when you want a whiskey with real weight.