Review: Upstate Brandy Maple Special Batch
Founded in 2017 by Ilio Mavlyanov, Sauvage Distillery is located in the quiet hills of Charlotteville, New York — right in the heart of apple country. Upstate New York is world-renowned for its apples, thanks to a cool climate, fertile soils, and a long growing season that make it an orchard paradise. Sauvage embraces this regional bounty, distilling its spirits exclusively from apples grown in Schoharie County.
The distillery’s journey began with an apple-based vodka, but it recently expanded its repertoire with a new release: Upstate Brandy Maple Special Batch. This expression is a blend of aged apple brandy, apple-based neutral spirit, and a touch of maple syrup sourced from Thompson’s Sugar Shack in Jefferson, NY. The result? A subtly sweet brandy liqueur that captures the essence of autumn in every glass.
Sauvage ferments a medley of local apple varieties — Spy Gold, Cortland, Kingston Black, and Liberty — using champagne yeast in closed-top tanks over a 4- to 6-week process. The mash is then distilled in a custom-built pot still from Bridgetown Brew Systems (Portland, Oregon), equipped with 16- and 18-inch plates for precision distillation. The apple spirit comes off the still at 160 proof and enters the barrel at 130 proof, where it rests for a minimum of two years in a mix of new American oak and ex-bourbon casks.
After aging, the apple brandy is blended with an undisclosed amount of neutral spirit and maple syrup. While the exact ratios remain a closely guarded secret, the addition of maple syrup classifies this spirit as a flavored brandy — or more precisely, a brandy liqueur. Unlike whiskey, which must be bottled at 80 proof or higher, brandy liqueurs can be more delicate in strength; Upstate Brandy Maple Special Batch is bottled at a mellow 70 proof, allowing its orchard roots and maple finish to shine.
Sauvage Distillery may not be a household name — yet — but is this small producer worth seeking out? Let’s take a bite of this New York apple and hope we don’t find half a worm.
Upstate Brandy Maple Special Batch Review
The nose opens with a hit of juicy apple, quickly joined by mild tobacco — an unexpected but welcome pairing. It’s worth noting that the maple syrup doesn’t dominate the aroma as one might assume. Instead, clove and light brown sugar round things out, offering a balanced and surprisingly restrained profile. If nosed blind, the presence of maple syrup might not be immediately obvious. The inclusion of maple syrup adds a weight that gives the impression of a fuller-bodied spirit than expected from a flavored brandy with neutral spirit.
On the palate, apple leads again, followed by just a trace of maple syrup. That touch is quickly overtaken by flavors of butterscotch hard candy and roasted pumpkin seeds. The texture is dense, with a weighty mouthfeel, but it never crosses into cloying territory. It avoids the pitfall of tasting like syrup was simply mixed with brandy. The finish starts with butterscotch pudding, transitioning to browned butter and shortbread cookie. The dessert-like notes never feel forced.
Considering the use of both maple syrup and neutral spirit, Upstate Brandy Maple Special Batch is far more enjoyable than its description might suggest. Although technically a brandy liqueur, it drinks more like a traditional apple brandy. It would make a strong showing in a Jack Rose, but also feels like a natural fit for a fall-inspired apple toddy. That said, it stands well on its own, neat.
No half-worms here—just a surprisingly well-executed take on New York apples in liquid form.
70 proof.
B+ / $34
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