Vermont’s emerald landscape, rainbow-colored maple trees, and intimate towns are what render it so endearingly unique, particularly for locals. Its legendary maple syrup, the emblem of its heritage, is what motivated Christian Stromberg to launch Saxtons River Distillery, where he combined his Lithuanian forebears’ art of making robust liqueurs with Vermont’s wealthy, strong flavors. His Sapling brand honey and maple-infused spirits is bottling up the essence of the Green Mountain State, giving a taste of home to the bottle. That same company commitment to local product and artistry is also how Vermonters think about their state, a love that glows in everyday habits and celebratory events. To grow up in Vermont is to hold these traditions close, from trips to sugarhouses to savoring artisanal products in harmony with the earth.
Sapling series, ranging from maple bourbon, honey bourbon, double barrel maple bourbon, to maple rye, highlights Vermont’s dedication to quality and local production. Aside from the below, Saxtons River Distillery produces Snowdrop Gin and Perc coffee liqueur but Sapling series is a colorful point focus. This blog examines how the spirits embody Vermont’s culture and resonate with the larger art of enjoying fine whiskeys, an activity that speaks to the state’s passion for considered, deep experiences. From the Sapling line’s maple-forward flavors to international whiskey styles, this journey honors the hallmarks of being of age in Vermont tradition, community, and respect for craftsmanship.
1. Maple as a Way of Life
Maple syrup is not just a sweetener in Vermont it’s a cultural icon reflecting the persona and character of the state. Growing up in Vermont is waking up to the smell of maple sugaring season, which Saxtons River Distillery emulates with its Sapling series. Christian Stromberg’s eagerness to incorporate maple into such spirits as maple bourbon and maple rye is a testament to this heritage that employs 100% Grade A Vermont syrup. Every taste transports them to tapping trees and boiling sap, linking Vermonters back to their roots. This profound connection with maple is a testament to Vermonters’ pride in nature and craft heritage.
- Cultural Significance: Maple syrup is Vermont in a nutshell, applied to cooking, baking, and now craft spirits.
- Local Sourcing: The distillery partners with Vermont sugarhouses for authentic, higher maple syrup.
- Spirit Innovation: Maple bourbon and rye bring tradition together with assertive, contemporary flavor profiles.
- Community Tradition: Sugaring season is a shared experience, bonding Vermonters with their land and heritage.
Vermonters are raised in the midst of maple as home and source of pride. The Sapling line is an expression of this legacy, with each glass a sip of Vermont’s essence.
2. Local Craftsmanship Pride
Saxtons River Distillery is an expression of Vermont’s approach to local production, with maple syrup and honey the only ingredients sourced within the state’s scenic borders. The Sapling brands, honey bourbon and double barrel maple bourbon, signify this dedication to place and quality. Both spirits retain the terroir of Vermont’s forests and fields, combining innovation and heritage. Living in Vermont is about celebrating products that benefit local farmers and artisans, a mission in every product. This local pride is an aspect of state culture.
- Vermont Ingredients: Honey and maple syrup utilized are all sourced locally from nearby farms to ensure authenticity.
- Economic Impact: The distillery supports Vermont’s agricultural economy by partnership.
- Artisanal Quality: Spirits are tastefully made, a testament to the state’s commitment to quality.
- Cultural Resonance: Local sourcing reflects Vermont as a culture.
The emphasis on Vermont ingredients utilized in the Sapling line is true to the spirit of the state. It reminds one of the pride that Vermonters feel about heritage.
3. Enjoying Sapling Honey Bourbon
The Sapling Honey Bourbon, at $30–$60 with a 40% ABV, is a rich and inviting liquor that recalls Vermont’s penchant for natural sweetness. Its honey-colored transparency is pretty to look at, which hints at the richness within. The aroma offers soft honey scents, warm vanilla, and a refreshing splash of orange zest, recalling a peaceful Vermont morning. On the palate, its silky texture reveals pure honey flavors, moderated with a hint of vanilla and citrus. This bourbon is the embodiment of the state’s skill at producing accessible, full-flavored whiskeys that are as homey as a mother’s cooking.
- Appearance: Honey-gold colored liquid, with a rich, inviting appearance.
- Aroma: Fragile honey with warm vanilla and citrusy orange.
- Taste: Silky smooth texture with natural honey, vanilla, and citrus flavors.
- Versatility: Ideal to sip straight or in citrus-flavored cocktails.
- Score: 3/5 for its people-pleasing, well-balanced nature.
This bourbon embodies Vermont’s affable, community-minded spirit. It’s a whiskey that travels well and the state’s natural welcome and open arms in a glass.
4. Double Barrel Maple Bourbon’s Depth
45% ABV, $45–$60 Double Barrel Maple Bourbon is the Sapling brand’s showstopper, reflecting Vermont’s passion for multi-dimensional craftsmanship. Its dark amber color, built up through longer oak aging, promises depth of experience. Its scent explodes with deep maple, dark prunes, sassafras, and a touch of spice, remembering activity in a busy sugarhouse. On the tongue, its silky creaminess counteracts maple, oaky vanilla, and delicate bourbon spice. This spirit reflects the state’s love of depth and quality.
- Appearance: Dark amber due to extended oak cask residence.
- Aroma: Deep maple with prune, sassafras, and spice undertones.
- Taste: Silky with maple, vanilla, and hint of bourbon spice.
- Finish: Medium, with warm vanilla and maple lingering.
- Score: 4/5 for its high-end, luxurious nature.
This bourbon begs to be sipped slowly, fitting Vermont’s slow pace. It’s a testament to the state’s handcrafted pride and excellence.
5. Embracing Sapling Maple Bourbon
The Sapling Maple Bourbon, priced $45–$60 with 35% ABV, offers an uncompromising maple flavor that reflects Vermont’s bold flavor. Its light brown hue, evoking watered-down maple syrup, makes room for the whiskey itself to take center stage. The nose combines sweet vanilla, clear maple, and subtle peppery spice, evoking griddle-hot pancakes. Maple dominates on the palate, offering assertive sweetness that celebrates the state’s iconic ingredient. This spirit reflects Vermont’s love of big, real flavors.
- Appearance: Light brown and transparent, like maple syrup.
- Aroma: Maple and vanilla take the lead with a whisper of peppery spice.
- Taste: Maple sweetness takes center stage, dominating bourbon nuances.
- Cocktail Fit: Ideal for autumn cocktails such as a hot toddy.
- Score: 3.5/5 for its whimsical, maple-forward personality.
This bourbon captures the glee of Vermonters for robust, authentic taste. It’s a lively nod to the state’s maple craze.
6. The Unique Charm of Sapling Maple Rye
The Sapling Maple Rye, 35% ABV, $45–$60, has a reddish-gold color like Vermont fall color. The nose has dark maple sugar, earthy caraway, and malty rye, like pumpernickel with maple butter spread. Sweet maple on the tongue is countered by pepperiness and dried grass of rye, producing a zesty interaction. It’s an expression of Vermont’s mastery of combining bold with tradition. To mature here is to harvest such creative, local marriages.
- Appearance: Reddish-gold, reminiscent of autumn leaves in the sun.
- Aroma: Maple sugar with caraway and malty rye overtones.
- Taste: Sweet maple contrasted by the spicy, grassy counterpoint of rye.
- Versatility: Excels in cocktails with a Vermont twist.
- Score: 3.5/5 for its creative, well-balanced profile.
This rye is a product of Vermont’s own spirit of innovation. It’s a lush testament to the state’s affection for offbeat, local obsessions.
7. Beyond Maple: Varied Distillery Lineage
Saxtons River Distillery’s innovation is not just in the Sapling range but also in other products such as Snowdrop Gin and Perc coffee liqueur, which reflect Vermont’s diverse craft sector. The products, in barrel-aged versions, provide depth and richness, reflecting the state’s handcrafted character. Although the Sapling range highlights maple and honey, these products reflect Vermont’s extensive flavor profile. Vermont childhood is all about celebrating that diversity where local pride permeates every product. The distillery’s portfolio is a reflection of Vermont’s creative spirit.
- Snowdrop Gin: Aged complexity with clean and crisp flavors.
- Perc Liqueur: Coffee-tastic flavors with rich depth.
- Local Craft: Each spirit connects Vermont’s heritage of quality.
- Innovation: Translates it from maple to diverse, bold profiles.
These spirits represent Vermont’s dedication to innovation and quality. They encourage the sipping of the state’s deep craft tradition.
8. The Ritual of Sipping Whiskey
Whiskey sipping is something Vermonters get, something that appeals to the state’s appreciation for savoring well-crafted, well-lived. Whether it’s Sapling or high-end whiskey, it’s about indulging in nuance and terroir. Sipping whiskeys, at 8–12 years old, produce smooth, luscious profiles that are just right for savoring. It’s a tradition that appeals to Vermont’s measured, gentle pace of life. To mature here is to savor the tales each glass gives.
- Sipping Qualities: Mellow, smooth, with pleasant, complex flavors.
- Effect of Aging: Longer aging contributes depth and complexity.
- Vermont Connection: Sapling spirits are a continuation of this tradition with local character.
- Refined Consumption: Sipping is a manifestation of Vermont’s unhurried, thoughtful pace.
This practice identifies Vermonters with their heritage. It’s a way to appreciate the state’s craftsmanship of taste.
9. Navigating Global Whiskey Styles
The Sapling series offers the entrance to tasting the world’s best whiskey styles, each producing unique flavors that capture Vermont’s affection for variety and quality. The smooth, spicy bourbons and ryes and the smoky Scotches, creamy Irish whiskeys, and refined Japanese expressions, there’s a universe to be explored. To come of age in Vermont is to experience diversity, as with the various communities and terrains of the state. These flavor profiles expand the process of consumption, connecting local identity with global conventions. Vermonters welcome this discovery with open palates and minds.
- Bourbon: Sweet vanilla and oak flavors, similar to Evan Williams Single Barrel.
- Rye: Peppery pepper and caraway, with tastes similar to Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Rye.
- Scotch: Peaty or sweet, such as Highland Park 12 or Laphroaig Quarter Oak.
- Irish: Silky and fruity, such as in Green Spot with caramel apples.
- Japanese: Refinement with smokiness, as in Hakushu 12 and green apple and mint.
- Canadian: Well-balanced and unselfish, with unforced sipping.
These tastes suit Vermont’s respect for quality and variety. They encourage sippers to look beyond local taste without sacrificing their heritage in craft.
10. A Sipping Whiskey of Your Dreams
You discover your sipping whiskey as you mature in Vermont’s distinctive, local culture. Whether you enjoy the maple sweetness of Sapling spirits or the smoky Scotch, the point is to discover what you enjoy about it. Value sippers, starting at around $40, provide richness without killing you, in keeping with Vermont’s value-oriented but devoted attitude. The route resonates the state’s devotion to tradition and artisanship. Each glass is a narrative of place, tradition, and handcraft.
- Personal Taste: Discover sweet, spicy, or smoky tastes that are to your liking.
- Budget-Friendly Options: Quality drinkers such as Bulleit Bourbon or Aberlour A’bunadh begin at $40.
- Sipping Ritual: Savor neat, with water, or over ice to unlock flavors.
- Vermont Spirit: Sapling’s local emphasis reflects the state’s pride in being local.
- Global Options: Try whiskeys such as Green Spot or Hakushu 12 for something different.
This trip is characteristic of Vermont’s enthusiasm for excellence and discovery. Each bite reminds one of a global and local heritage of quality craftsmanship.
