Maker’s Mark vs Jack Daniel’s: What’s the Difference?

Updated April 2026.

Maker’s Mark flagship is 90 proof / 45% ABV. Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 is 80 proof / 40% ABV. A 1.5-ounce Maker’s pour is 1.13 NIAAA drinks; the same pour of Old No. 7 is one drink. Maker’s is Kentucky wheated bourbon. Jack is Tennessee whiskey — charcoal-mellowed in Lynchburg (Lincoln County Process) and labeled Tennessee whiskey, not bourbon, even when it meets the corn-and-new-oak rules.

Honey, Fire, and Apple are 35% flavored SKUs — different drink math. Related: Maker’s Mark, Jack Daniel’s, Jack proof.

Proof and legal name are the measurable differences

Maker’s Mark Jack Old No. 7
US proof / ABV 90 / 45% (brand) 80 / 40% (Brown-Forman US)
1.5 oz drinks 1.13 1.00
750 mL drinks ~19.0 ~16.9
Label class Kentucky straight bourbon Tennessee whiskey
Process Wheated mash (percent unpublished) Lincoln County charcoal before the barrel

Four Maker’s pours are 4.5 drinks. Four Jack pours are four. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. No 2026 MSRP. Pour math: whiskey drinks.

Sources

  • makersmark.com Proof 90 (prior page). Brown-Forman US product-info: Old No. 7 40% (prior Jack page).
  • Tenn. Code / TTB: Tennessee whiskey identity + charcoal filter. 27 CFR 5.143 bourbon.
  • Mash-bill percentages not printed as official TTB filings — not invented. NIAAA December 2025. No MSRP.

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