Mad River Burnt Rock Bourbon

This limited release bourbon differs from Mad River's standard bourbon (a 4 grain), having a mash bill of corn, rye and maple wood smoked barley. I sampled it at a tasting a couple of years ago, and have since regretted not buying a bottle because I have not been able to find one since. I stumbled onto a bottle recently and jumped at the chance to buy it and find out if it is as good as I remember. The bottle says it is aged at least 1 year, and the website says up to 18 months. The amber color is quite dark for such a young bourbon, but the youth of the spirit definitely shows in other areas. The nose is reminiscent of a young Scotch, very grain-forward with seemingly more barley than corn. There are also notes of rye spice and orange zest, along with a subtle smokiness and maple sugar candy. The first thing that hits your palate is a light smoky note and maple sugar. Once that fades you find some dark fruits, rye spice and green grass, then herbal and grainy notes that transition unexpectedly to dark chocolate and ground coffee. The palate is more grain- and spice-forward, with very little sweetness that dissipates quickly. The finish is surprisingly long and is the best part of the experience, with more rye spice, black pepper, dark chocolate and coffee, and hints of toffee and freshly chopped wood. While I can't say it lived up to the expectation from tasting it two years ago, this is a good, easy sipper to be less than two years old, and I think it will be excellent as a mixer. There are grainy and slightly astringent qualities, but I appreciate the smoky characteristics, and was pleasantly surprised by the depth of flavor. I think Mad River may be onto something here, and would love to see an older expression in the future.