Grapefruit | Burnt butterscotch | Mocha | Pickled ginger | Yeast | Carmel corn | Earthy

Apple | Honey | Rye grain | Sage | Fresh bread | Nutmeg

Dark chocolate | Chocolate rye | Pepper | Wet stone | Earthy | Ethanol

Established in 2011 in Warren, Vermont, Mad River Distillers was created by John Egan, Maura Connolly, and Brett Little, who leveraged surplus heirloom apple trees on their farm to venture into apple brandy. After converting a former horse barn at Cold Spring Farm into their operational facility, the distillery debuted with Mad River First Run Rum in May 2013. Mad River has since expanded its portfolio to include whiskey, rum, and brandy, handling all mashing, fermentation, distillation, and aging locally on-site. The producer prioritizes regional, non-GMO, fair-trade, and organic raw materials across its lineup.

In 2024, we reviewed the company’s Founders Reserve 10 Year Rye, which featured an impressive age statement for a craft distillery, but more importantly, we called it a “statement-making rye from a relatively unknown Vermont distillery.” They use three distinct rye varietals, including chocolate malted rye, and some of their rye grain is also toasted, which they say further releases “aromatic chocolate and mocha notes into the distillate.” At 10 years old, the rye was incredibly memorable with its richly layered flavor profile. At just over 1 year old, Mad River Distillers Revolution Rye shows some hints of its future greatness, but age isn’t on this whiskey’s side.

The rye’s aroma is incredibly peculiar and not like anything you’ve ever smelled in a rye. Grapefruit bucks up against burnt butterscotch, then against mocha, and not to be outdone, pickled ginger and yeast. It’s incredibly odd, and though it doesn’t work, it has a bit of a charm. By contrast, the palate is more familiar, but Mad River is anything but traditional. Apple and honey start, with rye grain, sage, fresh bread, and nutmeg rounding it out. It isn’t long before things get weird again, but in a good way. Much like their Founders Reserve Rye, chocolate plays a major role, but it’s just not as developed as it was in their 10 year rye. Combine this with wet stone, extra earthiness, and ethanol, and the results are likely to be polarizing.  

Usually, we taste a product that shows promise and look forward to seeing how it eventually develops. In this case, we’re going in the opposite direction - almost traveling back in time. While Founders Reserve 10 Year Rye was a very limited release, you can’t put the genie back in the bottle. Mad River Distillers Revolution Rye simply needs more time in the barrel. For a distillery that's been around for 15 years and distilling rye for over 10, customers will expect a higher age statement. Mad River Distillers are producing unique products that are distinctly their own; they just need to zero in on the right age to release them.