Mad River Revolution Rye Review

Mad River Distillers
Revolution Rye
Rye Whiskey
96 Proof
SRP: $49.99 / 750 mL
Review

Please enjoy my Mad River Revolution Rye Review!

Jump to the Details or the Tasting Notes.

A Short Introduction to Mad River Distillers

Mad River Distillers produces whiskey, rum and apple brandy in Warren, Vermont, at a distillery established in a renovated horse barn. The team makes its spirits in-house, sourcing local and non-GMO grains wherever possible and using a two-stage pot distillation process for its whiskey.

For more about the distillery’s history, pot distillation process and Vermont aging, read my Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon Review.

An All-Rye Mash Bill with Chocolate Malted Rye

Revolution Rye is made from 100% non-GMO Northeast rye. Mad River uses three types of rye, including chocolate malted rye, and bottles the whiskey at 96 proof. The distillery describes cocoa and mocha notes from the roasted rye, although, as I’ll discuss below, I get more of a dark roasted malt character.

Details — Mad River Revolution Rye Review

• Distillery: Mad River Distillers, Warren, Vermont
• Expression: Revolution Rye
• Type: Rye Whiskey
• Mash Bill: 100% rye, using three types of rye, including chocolate malted rye and a portion of “toasted rye”
• Grain Source: Non-GMO Northeast rye; local and organic
• Age: At least 1 year according to the sample label; the distillery’s background materials list 2 years
• Distillation: Two-stage pot distillation
• Proof: 96
• ABV: 48%
• Bottle Size: 750 mL
• Price: $49.99

Tasting Notes — Mad River Revolution Rye Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass

👉🏻 Nose: Limes, mild simple syrup and light caramel sweetness; moderate roasted maltiness and graininess; rye spices like cloves in the background, becoming more noticeable over time; alcohol vapor is lighter than expected for the proof.
👉🏻 Taste: Mild sweet caramel, hints of grapefruit, slight smokiness, dark roasted malt increasing into the finish; mild rye spices
👉🏻 Finish: Dark roasted malt continues to increase; graininess; mild grassiness later on; moderate white pepper spice; mild rye spices; fairly long with lingering spice and dark roasted rye malt; increasingly dry

Citrus and Cloves Give Way to Dark Roasted Malt

The nose of Mad River Revolution Rye has familiar rye notes of citrus and cloves up front, along with a dark roasted rye maltiness. The taste has mild sweetness and citrus, along with slight smokiness and the dark roasted malted rye. Those flavors continue into the finish, with lasting and increasingly pronounced dark roasted malted rye, white pepper spice and considerable dryness, which increases toward the end. A mild grassiness appears later on and lingers as well, although the chocolate malted rye remains dominant.

The rye spices, such as cloves, are relatively subdued throughout. Instead, the whiskey is dominated by the dark roasted malted rye. Malted rye, in general, has less of the spiciness and citrus often associated with rye whiskey, but it tends to have more body, mild sweetness and a flavor that becomes recognizable after you have tasted a few whiskeys that contain it. I do not know the percentage of chocolate malted rye in Revolution Rye. Nonetheless, in my experience with other whiskeys containing chocolate malted grains, it doesn’t take all that high a percentage for that flavor to dominate.

When I first tasted Mad River Revolution Rye, I was not aware that the mash bill contained chocolate malted rye. As I tasted it again, those flavors stood out to me throughout the entire sip, from the nose to the finish, where they were most pronounced. The name “chocolate malt” refers to the dark color the malted rye develops during roasting; there is no chocolate added to this whiskey or to the malted rye. I get a dark roasted grain flavor from chocolate malted rye, rather than the chocolate or cocoa notes that are often mentioned. That is likely because I used to homebrew and would always taste the different malts. So, the flavor of darker roasted malted grains is quite familiar to me.

Mad River Revolution Rye Review — For Fans of Dark Roasted Grains

The dark roasted malted rye notes, particularly on the finish, dominate the other flavors. Revolution Rye reminds me to some degree of Woodford Reserve Chocolate Malted Rye, which, in spite of its name, actually is a bourbon. That bourbon had 15% chocolate malted rye in its mash bill, and the roasted malt flavors were equally prominent. So, if you have had that whiskey, it can serve as a frame of reference for this rye’s dominant flavor component.

For me, generally those pronounced dark roasted malt flavors are a bit much. Interestingly, I am enjoying this rye more now, around six weeks after opening it, than I did initially. The whiskey could have opened up a bit during that time, or possibly it is my mood today. I also wonder if more time in the barrel for this relatively young rye might allow those roasted grains to mellow and meld more with the other flavors. Nonetheless, if you are a fan of dark roasted malted grains, or if you perceive their flavor as chocolate or mocha, then this is one that you would likely enjoy. Have you tried the Mad River Revolution Rye? What did you think? Cheers! 🥃

I hope you have enjoyed my Mad River Revolution Rye Review! Next, explore two other expressions from the distillery in my Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon Review and Mad River Double Tapped Maple Bourbon Whiskey Review.

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

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