{"id":238,"date":"2023-11-25T03:48:49","date_gmt":"2023-11-25T03:48:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/squarespace.joannawhiteart.com\/wp\/2023\/11\/25\/crown-maple-syrup-bourbon-barrel-aged-costco-review\/"},"modified":"2025-03-28T15:21:06","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T19:21:06","slug":"crown-maple-syrup-bourbon-barrel-aged-costco-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snarklesauce.com\/blog\/2023\/11\/25\/crown-maple-syrup-bourbon-barrel-aged-costco-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Crown Maple Syrup Bourbon Barrel Aged Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Author\u2019s note: I wasn\u2019t paid to write this review, and I have no affiliation with <\/em>Crown Maple<\/em><\/a> nor <\/em>Costco.<\/em><\/a> I apologize to anyone who came here expecting a \u201cnormal\u201d review. Ha!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old barrels never tasted so good.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I found this Crown Maple Bourbon Barrel Aged<\/a> syrup at Costco. I\u2019ll be honest: I didn\u2019t know precisely<\/em> what \u201cbourbon barrel aged\u201d meant. Not exactly. But I like<\/em> maple syrup, and I like<\/em> bourbon flavor, so I bought a bottle. Well, I actually bought two<\/em> bottles. They were on sale. So there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, how exactly is this syrup made? The Crown Maple<\/a> website describes this condiment thus:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe start with exceptionally crafted, estate-produced, select-quality, 100% pure organic maple syrup. Then, we age the syrup in barrels that had super-premium, 8 to 10-year-old Bourbon allowing the distinctive flavors & aromas of bourbon, smoky oak, graham cracker, brown butter & creamy vanilla to infuse from the oak. Crown Maple Bourbon Barrel Aged organic maple syrup presents layers of exceptional flavors.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, old barrels. Old, used, barrels. Interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know I\u2019m a snarky curmudgeon, but I\u2019m always amused by how coffee, wine, and chocolate manufacturers describe the flavors of their products, and I feel the same here. Graham crackers? Really?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The label says it may contain trace amounts of alcohol. Saucy old barrels!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stamped<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This fancy-pants, potentially boozy syrup is packed in thickkk glass bottles with a snazzy seal over the lid. It\u2019s a sleek presentation that makes this syrup look extra sophisticated. In fact, the label says \u201cLimited Edition,\u201d although I\u2019m not sure how \u201climited\u201d anything<\/em> is when it\u2019s sold in bulk at Costco. (Fun fact: did you know there are 128 million Costco members worldwide<\/a>?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m planning to use the second bottle as a hostess gift. Except, now I\u2019ll have to find a recipient who isn\u2019t<\/em> reading my blog! Alas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Alright, so what does this maple syrup actually<\/em> taste like? Welp. It tastes like maple syrup. The end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No, just kidding. It does<\/em> have some extra flavor. Not a lot. But, there\u2019s a smidge<\/em> of deeper, more complex taste here. It\u2019s only a whisper, but it\u2019s there. Graham cracker whispers \u2014 metaphorical crumbs, and all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me be clear: I absolutely don\u2019t<\/em> dislike this syrup, but I do<\/em> feel it was overhyped a bit. It doesn\u2019t have an especially strong<\/em> flavor. And I don\u2019t mean only<\/em> the \u201cbourbon barrel\u201d taste, but just in general. It tastes like a lighter variety of maple syrup. In fact, it was a much lighter taste and appearance than I expected, probably from the dark color of the bottle. The thick glass gave the illusion of a darker product, I guess? IDK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The label on the front of the bottle says \u201cRobust Flavor,\u201d which is often used to describe grades of maple syrup with a darker color and more intense maple taste. To me, this tastes like a lighter Amber-grade maple syrup. Here\u2019s some interesting information on different \u201cgrades\u201d of maple syrup<\/a>, from the University of New Hampshire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Comparison<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Because my camera has a perverse desire to make the maple syrup look darker than it actually does in real life, here is a side-by-side comparison with Kirkland Organic Maple Syrup, which is also described on the label as \u201crobust.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I also didn\u2019t discern much bourbon taste. I guess I also interpreted the \u201cRobust Flavor\u201d to imply a robust bourbon<\/em> flavor. But no. Maybe my<\/em> maple syrup was \u201caged\u201d in a particularly tired old barrel that had already given away all it\u2019s bourbon deliciousness. Like The Giving Tree<\/em>, perhaps my barrel just had nothing left to offer. Poor old barrel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or maybe my tastebuds are addled. I don\u2019t know. But I really don\u2019t taste (or smell) an enormous<\/em> difference between this syrup and regular maple syrup. Sorry, I was hoping to report otherwise!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s not to say this isn\u2019t delicious syrup. I mean, it\u2019s maple syrup! Maple syrup is yummy no matter what! I will never turn down maple syrup, old barrels or otherwise. It\u2019s also organic, although that means absolutely<\/em> nothing to my tastebuds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Fingers<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After poking around the Crown Maple website for a bit, I realized they also sell Strawberry \u201cinfused\u201d maple syrup<\/a>, and a Blueberry flavor. Interesting. I want to crack more jokes about old barrels, but I\u2019m not going to. Like these bourbon barrels, I\u2019m tired. I\u2019m going to bed. You\u2019re welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nutrition<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients<\/strong> in Crown Maple Syrup Bourbon Barrel Aged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A short ingredient list, indeed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n