Syrup "terroir" - is it a thing?

[SlopYourDripper]

Reading a recent thread about bourbon barrel aged syrup (I'm a sucker for this stuff, but it's hard to find and usually very expensive) sent me to my fridge to look at a syrup bottle label. I bought it from Boyden Valley Winery in Cambridge, VT last year. It's dark, thick and delicious! An interesting claim on the label: "Single Vermont Forest" - I originally took it as a cheeky marketing take on the "single vineyard" wines that always seem to fetch premium prices, wherever they are produced, but now I'm wondering if they're serious!? Do individual forests (or sugarbushes) produce discernible flavor differences in their syrup (like the famous "terroir" of single vineyard wines)? Is anyone else using the "single forest" (single bush?! :) ) labeling?

Anyway, maple and bourbon.... it's a great combo, eh?

[DrTimPerkins]

Many things go into making up the "flavor" of maple syrup.

http://arcadenw.org/article/maple-syrup-terroir-and-aesthetics

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/20/dining/20mapl.html

https://www.tonewoodmaple.com/blogs/news/7899887-terroir-map-of-maple

http://www.middlebury.edu/media/view/222441/original/ENVS360Spring07FinalReport.pdf

[Galena]

Haven't yet read all of Dr Tim's posts, but I definitely know that my syrup has a definite flavour and colour a far cry away from the stuff you buy in big grocery chain stores from the great maple lakes. Compared to what my microbush of 6 trees can produce, that stuff tastes so bland and generic it's not even funny.

[SlopYourDripper]

Thanks, Dr. Tim, for those links! Scholarly, fun and intersting stuff! As an attendee (and occasional host) of many wine and whisky/ey tasting events, it maks me want to try a syrup tasting. Wouldn't it be interesting to have batches of sap collected from different areas on the same day, processed at the same facility (to minimize variables) for comparative tasting/evaluation? We could even publish the results (with scores!) in the Syrup Enthusiast or Syrup Spectator magazines! :lol: