So the archived stave for this barrel that they used is the mocha stave. As it follows, quite unsurprisingly, it has a lot of mocha on the front, accompanied by some toffee, orange oil, and some peanut brittle. I'm searching for that Maker's Mark cherry, and it's not really popping out, though there's this really memory spiking scent that I think might be that red-box of chocolate covered cherries you can find most places. I used to get those for my Grandpa every year as part of his Christmas, he loved them. The palate is crazy soft for having as much proof as it does, the bit of peppery heat coming in at the very end, leaving the whole front of the palate just to be deliciously enjoyed. Still a lot of mocha, but there's brighter kind of cherry in the background, orange rind, brown sugar burnt toffee, heavily toasted pecans, and vanilla creme before it launches itself into all the barrel and pie spices, eventually ending with a lingering sweet and toasty finish. Maker's Mark has a soft spot in my heart, they were one of the first bourbons I ever tried and enjoyed long before I was a wine and spirits professional and was instead an eager amateur. This is taking their whole formula both back to when these staves were more available and up a notch overall.