Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon

This limited edition bourbon is different from Mad River's standard (a four-grain recipe), featuring a mash bill of corn, rye, and maple wood smoked barley. I tried it at a tasting a couple of years back and regretted not buying a bottle, as I haven't seen one since. I recently came across a bottle and seized the opportunity to purchase it and see if it holds up to my memory. The label states it's aged at least 1 year, with the website indicating up to 18 months. The amber hue is quite dark for such a young bourbon, but its youth is evident in other aspects. The aroma is similar to a young Scotch, very grain-forward with more barley than corn apparent. There are also hints of rye spice and orange zest, along with a subtle smokiness and maple sugar candy. The initial taste is a light smoky note and maple sugar. Once that fades, you detect some dark fruits, rye spice, and green grass, followed by herbal and grainy notes that unexpectedly shift to dark chocolate and ground coffee. The palate is more focused on grain and spice, with very little sweetness that quickly disappears. The finish is surprisingly long and is the highlight of the experience, featuring more rye spice, black pepper, dark chocolate, and coffee, with undertones of toffee and freshly cut wood. While it didn't quite meet the two-year-old expectation from my previous tasting, this is a good, easy sipper for being less than two years old, and I suspect it would be excellent in cocktails. There are grainy and slightly astringent qualities, but I appreciate the smoky character and was pleasantly surprised by the depth of flavor. I believe Mad River is onto something here and would be eager to try an older version in the future.

Feeling a bit let down. Given the price and limited nature of this release, I anticipated more. As a fan of Mad River Bourbon, this wasn't as impressive. For a bourbon, the maple flavor was too dominant for my preference. It might work for Old Fashioneds, but that wasn't my reason for purchasing it.

Sweet with a hint of smoke and a slight bite at the finish. Strong caramel at the forefront with mild spice towards the end

A smooth, distinctive bourbon with citrus undertones.

A distinct oaky flavor.

Smoky character.