Review: Village Bourbon and Bonfire (Updated 2026)
Review: Village Bourbon and Bonfire (Updated 2026)
Village Garage Distillery (housed in a former garage for the local highway department, hence the name) can be found in Bennington, Vermont, where it was founded in 2018 and began releasing products in 2021. All of the company’s spirits are made in the state — though not necessarily by the company itself. In addition to the products reviewed here, the lineup includes a rye and a vodka (and now a gin).
While initially relying on “some sourced elements,” by 2026 the company was releasing product entirely made from its own distillate.
Below please find coverage of two of the current releases (courtesy of Jacob) along with our original reviews of the whiskeys as they appeared in 2023.
Village Bourbon Batch 12 (2026) Review
Village Garage initially launched using bourbon distilled to their specific requirements by an undisclosed Vermont partner, yet early 2026 marked a pivotal shift with the arrival of Batch 12. This release represents the first iteration entirely produced on-site by Chief Distiller Todd Pinsonneault, moving away from contracted production while maintaining the original recipe of 60% corn and 40% malted rye. Every grain in this mashbbill hails from Vermont soil, emphasizing a local profile that begins with open-top fermentation fueled by the FSI 927 yeast strain over a five-day period. Pinsonneault runs the mash through a Vendome hybrid still featuring a 500-gallon copper pot, eventually tucking the spirit into oak at 116 proof. This specific four-barrel blend matured for 4 years, 3 months, and 5 days in 53-gallon Canton Cooperage barrels, which utilized staves seasoned in the open air for a full year before receiving a #3 char. The barrels reached a blended natural strength of 124.8 proof, the final bottling was brought down to 90 proof.
The initial nosing experience proves surprisingly faint, almost to a fault. A fleeting suggestion of pear cider appears before the scent vanishes entirely, leaving a void where one might expect a potent bouquet. Even after allowing the glass to breathe, only the most minute traces of canned green beans and fresh clean linen rise from the glass. This lack of presence is so jarring that it prompted a quick inventory of kitchen spices to ensure my olfactory senses remained functional. Given the high percentage of malted rye, which usually screams from the glass, the absence of any real fragrance feels like a missed opportunity. It is not an unpleasant or harsh start, but it lacks the necessary heft to set the stage for what follows.
Once the liquid actually hits the tongue, the experience undergoes a radical transformation that saves the pour. Notes of watermelon rind and the sugary impact of pink Starburst chews take center stage, providing an immediate and welcome sweetness. The viscosity is equally shocking; despite the ghostly aromatic start, the bourbon packs a heavy, viscous oiliness that mimics a traditional pot still rather than a hybrid setup. As the bourbon moves across the palate, it introduces flavor of butter pecan ice cream and a soft spearmint gum. The conclusion provides a chill on the throat, filled with peppermint candy and a black licorice streak that eventually fades into a creamy vanilla frosting. While the underwhelming start with the nose keeps this from reaching a higher level, the taste and impressive mouthfeel make it a legitimate offering. At a $50 price point, it remains a solid value, as it drinks more like a malted rye whiskey than a standard bourbon. 90 proof. -JK B+ / $50
Village Bonfire Whiskey with Vermont Maple Syrup Batch 16 (2026) Review
Following the same trajectory as Village Bourbon, Village Garage was initially launched with bourbon distilled on contract by the same undisclosed Vermont distillery, but Batch 16 features bourbon distilled in-house. Although the label for Batch 16 still displays language indicative of the bourbon being distilled elsewhere, the distillery confirms this specific run was distilled by Village Garage, with plans to update the packaging to reflect their independent production soon. This release consists of a four-barrel blend that matured for 4 years and 26 days before undergoing a unique enhancement process. Rather than resting the bourbonin a secondary cask, Village Garage blended in an undisclosed amount of Sugar Bob’s Finest Kind Smoked Maple Syrup directly into the whiskey. This syrup, a non-GMO Grade A Very Dark variety from Chester, Vermont, undergoes a twenty-four-hour cold-smoking process using real maple wood, resulting in a dark and intense additive that meets the bourbon just before it reaches the bottle.
The nosing profile immediately signals the influence of the smoke, leading with the scent of dying campfire coals and a strange, green note of raw cucumber skin. Beyond the smoke, the glass smells primarily of a youthful craft spirit, heavy on raw cornmeal and black pepper. Surprisingly, there is almost no hint of the maple syrup itself in the initial sniff, which is a departure from most whiskeys finished with or containing maple components. The lack of sweetness on the nose makes the actual syrup used in the process quite a mystery, as the wood smoke dominates the olfactory senses while leaving the sugary elements entirely behind.
The palate tells a completely different story, as the first sip arrives with the heavy flavors of Belgian waffles and maple syrup drenched in browned butter. The viscosity mentioned in the base bourbon remains present here, resulting in a thick, mouth-coating whiskey further enhanced by the maple syrup. In the middle of the tasting, a toasted vanilla meringue appears alongside a return of that black pepper. The final notes settle into a profile of Grapenuts and a sweet soy glaze, accompanied by a slight dryness similar to black tea. While the nose remains a puzzling departure from the taste, the liquid serves as a choice for those seeking a dessert-like experience. It shines particularly bright in a cocktail setting, where its natural sweetness and smoky backbone can anchor a refined Old Fashioned or a Campfire Manhattan. 90 proof. -JK B / $40
Village Bourbon Review (2023) Review
Contract-distilled Vermont bourbon, with a 60% corn, 40% rye mashbill, 5 years old. Sharp on the nose, with a clear and bold apple note, which feels appropriate for the region. Some wood influence here, but it’s dialed back and resting under the weight of all those apples. Notes of butterscotch and some cherry soda are also in the mix. On the tongue, the whiskey is very sweet, which is unsurprising but perhaps a bit much at times. As the whiskey builds that Butterfinger sweetness fades, leaving behind a somewhat rugged, rye-driven, cereal-heavy quality to fill in the void. Hints of ginger snaps on the finish make for a lively conclusion, but the whole affair feels light and airy, lacking much in the way of gravity. Add water and it fades away into nothing. So don’t. 90 proof. B+ / $55
Village Bonfire (2023) Review
“Inspired by the campfire, Head Distiller Ryan Scheswohl combines Village Garage’s 5 year aged Vermont whiskey with locally sourced, smoked maple syrup.” Very curious stuff. The nose hit me up front not with any of the above elements but with notes of fresh-cut lettuce, corn chips, and fresh pepper. I assumed I had gone insane, but repeated visits failed to turn up any of those apple or maple or smoke notes that I was expecting. The palate fortunately doesn’t create any such confusion. Smoky maple indeed dominates, with notes of toasted caramel and marshmallow on the back end. The peppery rye notes in the bourbon manage to peek through, however, if only fleetingly. Ultimately, this drinks more like a liqueur than a whiskey, though the alcohol-driven bite leaves a cinnamon-punched impression. I was enduringly confused by this whiskey from start to finish. That’s not always a bad thing, but in this case, I was expecting something more straightforward. 90 proof. B / $50
Village Bourbon
USD50
