Cows on pasture, the green mountains, Fall foliage and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream—these are just a few things that people think of as quintessential to Vermont. Of course, no list representing Vermont is complete without the sweet treat we call maple syrup. With a climate that is ideal for producing the best maple syrup (cold nights and warm days), and a rich soil that supports the health of maple trees, Vermont has a long sugaring tradition.

As a sweetener, maple syrup is a natural option that is low glycemic, less processed than refined sugar, and it contains nutrients and antioxidants. At Mad River Distillers, we've proudly partnered with local maple syrup companies on a few products. Our Maple Cask Rum is aged in barrels that once held Wood’s Rum Barrel Aged Maple Syrup. We also provide our bourbon barrels to Old City Syrup for their Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup. That isn’t our only maple connection though. One of our latest spirit additions is our Double Tapped Maple Bourbon Whiskey, a cordial combining our Straight Bourbon with Vermont maple syrup. We have also incorporated maple syrup into a variety of cocktail recipes as a substitute for simple syrup.

Here, we share a mix of Mad River Distillers cocktail recipes featuring the flavor and sweetness of Vermont maple syrup, starting with our most popular cocktail on the Burlington Tasting Room menu:

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker over ice. Shake briefly. Strain contents into a Double Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with Angostura Bitters.

Instructions:
In a copper mug with ice, add the Double Tapped Maple Bourbon Whiskey, then lime juice. Top with ginger beer. Add a lime wheel for garnish and enjoy!

Instructions:
Add all ingredients except Angostura Bitters in a shaker with ice. Shake well, then strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Top with 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters as a float.

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients, except the hard cider, in a shaker with ice. Strain into a Collins glass, then top the glass with hard cider. (If you can’t find Stowe Cider Dry & High, another hard dry cider will work). Add an orange and lemon wedge for garnish.

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir for about 15 seconds, then strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

Instructions:
In a shaker, add all ingredients with ice. Shake for about 8-15 seconds. Strain contents into a daiquiri coupe glass. Add a rosemary sprig for garnish.

To make a rosemary syrup, in a Mason Jar, take 8-10 sprigs of rosemary and place in 1 cup of boiling water. Let it steep (like a tea) for five minutes, then add 1.5 cups sugar and stir until dissolved. Seal the jar and let it sit for 8-12 hours, then strain out sprigs.

Instructions:
Muddle mint leaves, maple syrup, a strawberry, and lemon wedges. Shake muddled ingredients with bourbon and ice. Pour into a highball glass, and top off with a splash of club soda. Garnish with mint and a strawberry.

Instructions:
In a shaker, combine Straight Bourbon or Maple Cask Rum, the stout simple syrup and lemon juice. Add ice to the shaker, and shake hard for about 15 seconds. Strain contents into a chilled coupe, and enjoy!

To make the stout syrup:
To make the stout simple syrup, bring 2 - 16 oz. cans of the Maple Breakfast Stout to just below a rolling simmer in a saucepan.* Heat for 2-3 hours, whisking every 1/2 hour. Remove the froth that forms at the top. Once you have reduced the stout to about half (16 oz.), add sugar and stir until it is fully dissolved. Set the simple syrup aside to cool.

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake, then double strain into a coupe glass.

Instructions:
Heat the water to almost boiling and steep the tea for 4 minutes. Discard the tea bags. Add in the maple syrup. Stir to combine and set to the side to cool. In a shaker, pour espresso, rum, milk, and cooled chai over ice. Shake for about 8-10 seconds. Double strain into 4 martini glasses, and garnish with star anise.

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients except for the club soda (or seltzer) in a tall glass filled with ice. Stir to incorporate ingredients, then top with the club soda or seltzer. Garnish with a lime wedge.

To make Mint Simple Syrup:
Combine 3 cups of simple syrup (a 1:1 ratio of sugar dissolved in hot water) with 1 cup of pressed mint leaves. Blanch the mint in boiling water for 15 seconds, then immediately remove the mint leaves and immerse them in ice water for 1 minute. Strain the leaves from the ice water. Blend the cooled simple syrup with the mint leaves for 1 minute, then strain well. Store the cooled mint simple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks.

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake, then strain contents into a coupe glass. Serve and enjoy!

Instructions:
Combine ingredients in a shaker over ice. Shake briefly. Strain contents into a Highball glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake for 8-10 seconds. Strain contents into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with cinnamon or cocoa.

You might be wondering how we make our Maple Cask Rum. This rum starts as our First Run Rum, which is distilled from 100% demerara sugar. We lend our used rum barrels to Wood's Vermont Syrup Company, which they use to make their Rum Barrel Aged Maple Syrup. The barrels are then returned to us, and we transfer our First Run Rum into these maple-cured barrels. The result is a smooth, bright rum with a nose of tropical fruits and butterscotch flavors. 

We offer another product using our Maple Cask Rum—our Maple Fig Madhattan, which is a ready-to-drink spin on the classic Manhattan cocktail made with Black Fig Vodka by Black Infusions and bitters. To pick up a bottle of either maple product, stop by a Tasting Room or learn more on our product pages. You can also find bottles of Wood’s Maple Syrup and Old City Syrup at our Burlington Tasting Room, in addition to other maple products. Cheers!

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Written and published by Brianne Lucas on September 17, 2023. Updated on April 5, 2026.