Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon Review

Mad River Distillers
Burnt Rock Bourbon
Bourbon Whiskey
92 Proof
SRP: $58–$60 / 750 mL
Review

Please enjoy my Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon Review!

Jump to the Burnt Rock Bourbon’s Details or to the Tasting Notes

Mad River Distillers: From a Vermont Horse Barn to Whiskey

Mad River Distillers began with an old horse barn on John Egan and Maura Connolly’s property in Warren, Vermont. In 2011, the couple and their friend and co-founder Brett Little were considering uses for some of their acreage. Growing grapes for wine was one possibility, but Vermont’s climate presented challenges. A friend suggested apple brandy instead, making use of the apples abundant on their farm and elsewhere in the state.

Converting the roughly century-old barn into a working distillery took a couple of years, including reinforcing the building to support the equipment. By 2013, Mad River was ready to begin production. General Manager and Head Distiller Alex Hilton recognized an opportunity in whiskey, which became a focus of the operation, although the distillery also produces apple brandy and rum.

Mad River makes its spirits in-house, sourcing local and non-GMO grains wherever possible. A partnership with Valley Malt in Massachusetts dates back to 2013. The distillery uses natural spring water from the farm’s aquifer in production and reverse osmosis water to dilute its spirits before bottling.

Pot Distillation and Vermont Aging

Mad River uses a two-stage process to distill its whiskey. The fermented mash first goes through a 500-gallon pot still for a stripping run, which takes roughly five hours and brings the spirit to approximately 50% ABV, or 100 proof. The final distillation takes place in a smaller, 60-gallon Mueller pot still, made in Germany, which the distillery uses to refine the flavors and aromas.

According to the distillery, the spirit comes off the still at an average of around 155 proof and no higher than 160 proof. Early in the distillery’s development, the team began taking smaller heart cuts, sacrificing some yield because they preferred the resulting spirit. The whiskey enters barrels at 120–125 proof.

The distillery typically uses full-size, 53-gallon new American oak barrels from Kelvin Cooperage, with a toast and a #3 char. New spirit is barreled at the original distillery before being transported to a separate aging location. Neither of its two warehouses is climate controlled. The distillery reports an annual angels’ share of approximately 15%, with the whiskey exposed to Vermont’s seasonal temperature changes.

Burnt Rock Bourbon’s Maple-Wood-Smoked Barley

Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon takes its name from a popular hiking trail in the Mad River Valley. It began as an experiment when Alex Hilton smoked barley over maple wood from the farm, using a handmade smoker fashioned from a steel drum, before adding it to a bourbon mash.

Burnt Rock’s mash bill is 70% corn, 15% rye and 15% smoked barley. It is aged for at least two years in new charred American oak and bottled at 92 proof.

Details — Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon Review

• Distillery: Mad River Distillers, Warren, Vermont
• Expression: Burnt Rock Bourbon
• Type: Bourbon Whiskey
• Mash Bill: 70% corn, 15% rye, 15% smoked barley
• Smoked Barley: Smoked over maple wood from the farm
• Age: At least 2 years
• Barrels: New charred American oak
• Distillation: Two stages, using a 500-gallon pot still for the stripping run and a 60-gallon Mueller pot still for the final distillation
• Proof: 92
• Bottle Size: 750 mL
• Price: $58–$60

Tasting Notes — Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass
👉🏻 Nose: Moderately sweet; sweet corn, caramel, sweet apple juice, hints of grape soda increasing over time, orange citrus in the background; doughiness and breadiness; subtle smoke; alcohol vapor is appropriate for the proof
👉🏻 Taste: Mildly sweet, sweet corn, mild tannins, mild black tea, simple syrup, sweet dough later on; graininess after a few sips; light to medium bodied
👉🏻 Finish: Mildly sweet graininess; hints of dried apricots; mild capsaicin spice, dry with tannins, lingering mild smoke, dry wood, spice and hints of sweet dough and grain; moderately long

Sweet Corn, Fruit and Subtle Smoke — Burnt Rock Bourbon Review

The nose of Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon is full and bright, with sweet corn and a pleasant mix of fruits up front, and also a doughiness and breadiness that become more evident over time. There is just a subtle hint of smoke.

The taste begins less sweet than the nose, with sweet corn and simple syrup, but then becomes drier, with mild tannins and black tea, although a sweet doughiness develops later on. After a few sips, graininess becomes more evident as well.

The finish has a sweet graininess to it at first, becoming drier and spicier later on, with hints of smoke. Yet there are still lingering faint notes of sweet dough, grain and dried apricots.

Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon has flavors that I associate with a younger pot-distilled bourbon, although they are fairly well integrated. The stated age is “at least 2 years,” so I am assuming it is not all that much older, although it does taste a bit more mature. I tried it initially without knowing about the maple-wood-smoked barley and didn’t note any smoke. On my second and third tastings, however, I was aware of the smoked barley, so was looking for it. Even so, the smoke is quite mild and therefore its presence should not deter the squeamish.

An Enjoyable, Approachable Bourbon with Just a Hint of Smoke

I find myself enjoying Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon more and more each time I try it. It is an enjoyable, easy-drinking bourbon, especially for its stated age of two years, with flavors on the medium-bodied side. It should appeal to those who enjoy an approachable pot still bourbon, with some doughy, bready and grainy notes and just the slightest hint of smoke. If that’s you, you’ll want to give this bourbon a try! Have you tried the Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

I hope you have enjoyed my Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon Review! Next, explore two more pot-distilled bourbons in my Neeley Small Batch Wheated Bourbon Review and MB Roland Old 2nd District Bottled in Bond Bourbon Review.

Note: This sample was graciously provided by the Brand for my review. I appreciate it!

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