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Bourbon

Mad River Distillers Bourbon

$51.99

OVERALL
RATING

Whisky Review: Mad River Distillers Bourbon

Tasting Notes:

About:
Appearance:
Mad River Distillers bourbon appears honey-brown in the glass with weak legs.
Nose:
The first thing that jumps out is the cereal grain notes that are typical with a young whiskey. There is a hint of citrus that may be picked up from a corn based mash bill, as well as soft honey notes that often appear in wheat-recipe bourbon. Overall, I found the nose to be quite pleasant, especially for such young bourbon.
Palate:
Usually, young bourbon has a very strong corn flavor up front, but Mad River Distillers bourbon is actually quite balanced on the front of the palate. Yes, corn notes are certainly discernible. A touch of honey sweetness, perhaps attributable to the wheat in the mash bill, nicely balances it out. As the flavor unfolds, light herbal and smoke notes follow. The finish is short and has very light notes of pepper and cocoa, which mingle with the smoky note. Final Thoughts: Mad River Distillers bourbon is a unique product with a mash bill that includes corn, wheat, oats, and malted barley. The flavors are well balanced and complementary. In addition, at an average age of one-year-old, this whiskey is likely to get better as Mad River Distillers keeps aging stock. Score: 81/100
Finish:
Comments:

According to a tourism video, the Mad River Valley in the Green Mountains of Vermont has zero stoplights. But, thankfully, the Valley has one craft distillery to keep everyone well stocked on liquor.

Mad River Distillers of Warren, Vermont turned out their first product, Mad River Rum in 2013. Since then, they have expanded their lineup to include rye whiskey, bourbon (the topic of this review), brandy, and a few different rums (including one glorious-sounding rum that’s finished in Vermont maple syrup barrels).

Aiming for a “farm-to-glass” vision, the distillery operates out of a renovated horse barn on a farm dating back to the mid-1800s. And they use water from a 150-year-old spring on the farm. As part of the farm-to-glass vision, Mad River Distillers uses locally sourced and non-GMO grains whenever possible.

Instead of the usual three-grain mash bill used in most bourbon, Mad River Distillers has chosen the road less traveled with a four-grain mash bill. A few other craft brands have produced a four-grain bourbon mash bill, such as Tullithtown, and Woodford Reserve released a four-grain bourbon for their Master’s Collection.

However, four-grain mash bills are pretty rare. And Mad River Distillers bourbon mash bill differs even from the other mentioned products. The unique mash bill uses corn (a legal necessity for bourbon), wheat, oats, and malted barley. Use of oats in the mash bill is certainly an odd choice, especially considering Buffalo Trace’s Experimental Collection bourbon made with oats that was not particularly good.

Mad River Distillers Bourbon
image via Whitney Harrod Morris/The Whiskey Wash

Tasting Notes: Mad River Distillers Bourbon

Vital Stats: The label only states that the bourbon is aged less than four years, but other sources say that the bourbon is aged an average age of one year. As mentioned above, the mash bill is corn, wheat, oats, and malted barley. The bourbon is bottled at 96 proof, and its retail price clocks in at $51.99.

Appearance: Mad River Distillers bourbon appears honey-brown in the glass with weak legs.

Nose: The first thing that jumps out is the cereal grain notes that are typical with a young whiskey. There is a hint of citrus that may be picked up from a corn based mash bill, as well as soft honey notes that often appear in wheat-recipe bourbon. Overall, I found the nose to be quite pleasant, especially for such young bourbon.

Palate: Usually, young bourbon has a very strong corn flavor up front, but Mad River Distillers bourbon is actually quite balanced on the front of the palate. Yes, corn notes are certainly discernible. A touch of honey sweetness, perhaps attributable to the wheat in the mash bill, nicely balances it out. As the flavor unfolds, light herbal and smoke notes follow. The finish is short and has very light notes of pepper and cocoa, which mingle with the smoky note.

Final Thoughts:

Mad River Distillers bourbon is a unique product with a mash bill that includes corn, wheat, oats, and malted barley. The flavors are well balanced and complementary. In addition, at an average age of one-year-old, this whiskey is likely to get better as Mad River Distillers keeps aging stock.

Score: 81/100

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