We recently tasted more than two dozen maple syrups and were impressed by their variety. Nearly a third came from Trader Joe's markets, which makes a specialty of importing Canadian syrup.
Some producers bottle their own syrup, some sell to bottlers who market the syrup under a brand name and some do both. A number of Vermont syrups are sold in plastic jugs with a generic label, but some jugs also carry a tag naming the producer. And finally, Trader Joe's has several quite different-tasting syrups sold in different kinds of container.
To our taste, the best Grade A syrups came from Van Alstyne and Plummer Sugar House (we also liked Plummer's Grade B), both available by mail order. The two estate-grown Canadian syrups being sold by Trader Joe's also impressed us, and there were also a number of votes for Shady Maple Farm Dark Amber and Butternut Mountain Farm's very delicate Light Amber. Our favorite Grade B syrups were from Van Alstyne and Trader Joe's (in jug, not can).
In all the variety, two facts stood out: The syrups that tasted best to us didn't come in stylish containers, and the word "organic" tended to indicate a strong, coarse flavor.
Light Amber Grade A
Van Alstyne (Vermont): light, clean, almost floral maple flavor. An example of Vermont Fancy grade syrup. Mail order.
Berkshire Sweet Gold (Massachusetts): tasted of vanilla and butter, not very mapley. Sur la Table.
Syrup Nouveau (Canada): rather like honey. Trader Joe's.
Butternut Mountain Farm (Vermont): exactly like honey. Williams-Sonoma.
Medium Amber Grade A
Plummer Sugar House (Vermont, in generic jug): vanilla, light but good maple. Mail order.
Van Alstyne (Vermont): good flavor, buttery quality. Mail order.
1998 Ferme N&C Nadeau, Estate Grown (Canada): good maple with candied quality. Trader Joe's.
1998 Clement Savard, Estate Grown (Canada): lively maple. Trader Joe's.
Naturally Maple (Canada): vanilla and maple, missing some middle notes. Costco.
Dark Amber Grade A
Shady Maple Farm (Quebec): vanilla and maple, some good acidity. Vons Pavilions.
Van Alstyne (Vermont): maple and candied flavors. Mail order.
Plummer Sugar House (Vermont, in generic jug): good strong maple flavor. Mail order.
Plummer Sugar House (Vermont, in can): bright, floral notes. Mail order.
Northern Comfort (Maple Grove Farms; Vermont and/or Canada): maple sugar flavor. Mail order.
