Mad River Distillers

Mad River Distillers has captured lightning in a bottle.... Maybe it’s their commitment to using the finest locally and regionally sourced grains, corn, fruit, and maple, complemented by their pristine mountain water. Or maybe it’s because they do everything entirely from scratch at their hillside farm in Warren.

Mad River Distillers has captured lightning in a bottle. Since producing their inaugural spirits back in 2013 (First Run Rum, a nod to both the first run of the Mueller still and that coveted first run down the slopes), head distiller Alex Hilton and his team have managed to infuse the essence of Vermont—mountains, woods, rivers—into every batch. Maybe it’s their commitment to using the finest locally and regionally sourced grains, corn, fruit, and maple, complemented by their pristine mountain water. Or maybe it’s because they do everything entirely from scratch at their hillside farm in Warren. “We’re committed to mashing, fermenting, distilling, barreling, aging, and bottling right here in the Mad River Valley,” Alex explains. “We’ve really honed our craft over the last 10 years, and we’re always tinkering our processes and tweaking recipes to get every delicious drop out of the still.”

Delicious indeed. The names themselves evoke the Green Mountains. Burnt Rock Bourbon explodes with flavor, spice, and a touch a smoke from the maplewood- smoked barley added to the bourbon mash. Maple Cask Rum is aged in maple-cured barrels, enhancing the already smooth rum. Mad Apple Brandy pays homage to Calvados but in classic Vermont style with oak spice and a crisp apple finish. Revolution Rye remains their most awarded spirit, consistently earning accolades in competitions thanks to its earthy, peppery kick and lingering chocolatey warmth. PX Rum slumbers in toasted barrels before taking a quick nap in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks that deepen the aroma and hue.

“We’ve really honed our craft over the last 10 years, and we’re always tinkering our processes and tweaking recipes to get every delicious drop out of the still.” –Alex Hilton

Head distiller Alex Hilton draws a sample of rye from one of his aging barrels. Photo courtesy Mad River Distillers

And then there’s Hopscotch, a single malt whiskey made in partnership with Waitsfield neighbor Lawson’s Finest Liquids. “We love collaborations because they keep us challenged and fresh,” Alex says. Here’s how it works: the brewery makes a run of their beer; Mad River distills and barrel-ages it into single malt whiskey. Hops morph into “scotch”! “This batch is particularly special because it’s distilled from Lawson’s Triple Sunshine IPA that they made right before the pandemic. Rather than let that beer go to waste, we distilled and aged it for the last three years in new American oak.” A Vermont single malt destined for IPA lovers—out of bad good will come!

The best way to experience the full range of Mad River spirits is to taste them. You can take a 45-minute tour of the distillery in Warren Friday through Tuesday (book your time through the website). One of the three distillers will walk you through the process and provide samples at the end. Or you can swing by Mad River Taste Place in Waitsfield from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for a taste and to pick up bottles right there. For a deeper dive, head to Mad River’s cheerful tasting room in Burlington at the corner of St. Paul and Main. The team of bar professionals is happy to mix up any of their 30-plus classic and contemporary cocktails and to guide you through a full tasting flight. The retail shop is well stocked with barware, cocktail accessories, bitters, mixers, syrups, and books. The three tasting locations also carry bottles of Mad River’s special or limited-release spirits including Double Barrel Bourbon, PX Rum, Hopscotch, and whiskey or rum finished in cabernet sauvignon barrels from Napa Valley.

The best way to experience the full range of Mad River spirits is to taste them. You can take a 45-minute tour of the distillery in Warren Friday through Tuesday.

Mad River Distillers president Mimi Buttenheim in her happy place. Photo courtesy Mad River Distillers

Phalanx of Mad River spirits await their labels. Photo courtesy Mad River Distillers

Mad River Distillers evolved in 2011 out of John Egan and Maura Connolly’s love of Calvados, the French apple brandy. The founders’ farm in Warren had plenty of heirloom apple trees and a dilapidated horse barn, so they hired Alex Hilton, a local carpenter, to transform the barn into a distillery. Although Alex had never distilled before, he became enamored of the concept and together the trio learned the process. Mimi Buttenheim came on as president in 2015, and the company’s spirits started to win national awards. The rest is delicious history savored one sip at a time. The essence of Vermont bottled in the hills of the Mad River Valley. 

• madriverdistillers.com