Chocolate | Roasted caramel malt | Spearmint | Herbal

Hibiscus | Sage | Fresh bread | Cherry | Barley grain | Nutmeg

Dark chocolate | Chocolate rye | Barrel char | Rye spice

Mad River Distillers is located in northern Vermont, with one of their locations in Burlington. They have been around longer than you may think, having been founded in 2011, and that is showcased with an impressive 10 year old rye release. A double digit aged rye is still relatively uncommon in certain terms, however, over the past two years, Beam, MGP, and Bulleit have done their best to change that. What you rarely see is a craft distillery with a double digit aged rye, and that should instantly pique any rye lover’s interest.

Of course, there is some reason to be hesitant. With any craft distillery going live in the early 2010s, a 10 year old product represents some of the first whiskey they laid down and that is the case with Mad River Distillers. But all it takes is one sip to know something expectation-shattering is going on here.

It starts with the rye grains Mad River used for this release. Utilizing 100% rye mashbill of danko rye and complemented by un-malted, malted, and chocolate rye variations, chocolate is the name of the game here. Whiffs of it can be nosed right from the start, but it's the explosion on the sip and especially the finish that screams that this rye is from another planet. Mad River Founders Reserve 10 Year Rye is not your traditional rye and it has no intention to be one. Richly layered, velvety, and bucking every expectation of what a rye should taste like, Mad River Founders Reserve 10 Year Rye is a reinvention of rye. This will mean it won’t be for everyone, but if you ever wanted to take a walk on the wild side of rye whiskey, Mad River Founders Reserve 10 Year Rye is your bet in 2024.