Maker's Mark The Lost Recipe Series Edition 2

Introduction: Many years ago, one of the first bottles of bourbon I acquired myself was Maker’s Mark — and it’s been a staple for me ever since. I’ve collected every Wood Finishing Series release and every Cellar Aged bottle without missing a beat. So imagine my surprise walking through my favorite local bottle shop and spotting a bottle I’d never even heard of: the Maker’s Mark Lost Recipe Series. No website announcement. No social media posts. Nothing. Somehow, I completely missed Edition 1 and am only now catching up with Edition 2. This release comes in at 55.45% ABV (110 proof) and uses the Archived French Mocha Stave. With its profile and proof, this bottle looked promising — and I was eager to dive in. Nose: The dominant note is rich, dark, overripened cherry, supported by Maker’s signature vanilla. Dark chocolate naturally follows, matching the mocha stave. An earthy, herbaceous spice — closest to clove — adds depth. Deeper nosing reveals a sweet, dark “mocha latte” character: coffee, cream, mocha, and caramel drizzle. Sweet, layered, but not cloying. Taste: The palate opens luxuriously, like chocolate-covered cherries or dark, overripened cherries draped in creamy melted dark chocolate. It’s decadent and rich without becoming heavy. By mid-palate, vanilla enters smoothly, lifting the flavor and adding creaminess. Toward the back, the profile dries slightly with tannic oak and a hint of herbaceous, rye-like spice. The mocha stave reappears as bittersweet dark cocoa powder, contrasting the creamy chocolate from the front. Finish: The finish begins with a burst of tongue-tingling cinnamon — the first true baking spice note in the entire pour. Dark cocoa powder carries through strongly, supported by tannic oak and a faint leather note. As the finish fades, a final flash of bittersweet stewed cherry emerges — a perfect echo of the palate’s opening. Long, structured, and incredibly satisfying. Conclusion: This is one of the most memorable Maker’s Mark releases I’ve ever tasted — and easily one of the most compelling bourbons I’ve had in recent memory. It shows remarkable depth, complexity, and balance for its 110-proof point. Not as hot as any Maker’s cask strength release, but honestly, this proof feels perfect: full of character without overwhelming heat. If Edition 1 is anything like this, the Lost Recipe Series is going to be a must-follow line. If you see Edition 2 at retail, don’t hesitate. Buy it. You won’t regret it. It’s sweet, tannic, chocolate-laden, dark, layered, and beautifully composed — a standout bourbon well worth the money.

Color: Medium-deep amber Smell: I can identify the distillery for some brands just by their smell. It's not many, but a couple. Maker's Mark is one of them. There's a slight alcohol/ethanol presence, definitely picking up oak staves and some caramel. Taste: (Consumed with an ice cube) The mouthfeel is somewhat syrupy; extremely sweet and a little spicy; it provides a warm chest hug; tastes like cocoa (specifically, cocoa mix powder); the initial slight spice becomes genuinely spicy after a few sips. This is very "Maker's". I'm having recollections of the FAE, BEP, and BRTs — it even brings the 46 to mind, if memory serves. It certainly drinks like its 111 proof. Aftertaste: Medium length with oak and the cocoa noted on the palate. The spice lingers. It leaves a slightly dry sensation. Overall: I've heard some Bourbon reviewers I follow on YouTube criticize Maker's for just releasing "the same old thing" under different labels. I can somewhat understand their point. There's nothing truly unique about this one. But I'm still giving this 4.0 stars tonight. It's a solid value for the price (and looking back at my past Maker's Mark bottle reviews, they've all received scores between 3.75 and 4.00). Recently joining Costco has been both fortunate and unfortunate. The good part is I've been able to get bottles — at the suggested retail price — that I usually have to wait months after their release to obtain (and by then, I'm typically paying more than suggested retail). The bad part is I'm purchasing more Bourbon than I ought to be:D. What I'm trying to say is, for the price I paid, this is very good. However, I would not pay more than that now that I've tried it.

The aroma is pungent and rich, with notes of caramel sauce, Concord grape jelly, cola, burnt sugars, molasses, maple, pancake batter, nutmeg, and sweet oak. There is absolutely no ethanol aroma. The palate closely matches the nose, with the addition of nutty toffee, baked apple, brown sugar, iced cinnamon bun, and cocoa powder. The flavors are bold and decadent. The exceptionally long finish shifts to strong woody notes and black licorice. Like most Maker's products, there's some peppery heat, but it's mostly restrained here. A cherry cola note and oak linger persistently. The mouthfeel is viscous and chewy. Maker's Mark has been consistently producing excellent limited releases, and this one is no exception; in fact, it ranks among their best. Considering the price; I acquired this at Total Wine for $74, and at that price, it's an incredible bargain. I would readily repurchase it, unless I had other Maker's limited editions available, as they do tend to have a similar taste profile.

The aroma has the usual fruity notes, but it's more like sour fruit punch than the green apple I typically detect. I also detect chocolate. It's not sweet. The taste is dark chocolate with a hint of cherry. Overall, it's dry. Quite intense. The finish continues the chocolate theme, remaining dry and astringent. I find this enjoyable, but it's somewhat monotonous. It would work well in a chocolate mint julep.

It's nicely sweet with a smooth finish. I'm hoping they still have some available at my Costco, as I want to pick up another bottle.

110 proof. Noticeable but not overpowering. Vanilla, baking spices, and apple.