For your convenience, the short concise guide on the different maple syrup grades is as follows: Golden Delicate Taste: Maple syrup made from early-season sap, producing a light golden color that transmits greater than or equal to 75% of light through the syrup. You can expect a delicate and subtle maple flavor with hints of vanilla, baked apple, praline, and fresh butter. Amber Rich Taste: Maple syrup made from early to mid-season which transmits 50.0 to 74.9% of light through this light amber-colored syrup. Look for hints of bourbon, nutmeg, crème brûlée, oats, and rich maple when tasting this popular grade of pancake syrup.  Dark Robust Taste: A dark amber maple syrup with a more robust maple flavor made from mid to late season which by law must transmit 25.0 to 49.9% of light. This robust pancake syrup delivers hints of prunes, butterscotch, and cinnamon. Very Dark Strong Taste: Produced late in the sugaring season, this very dark syrup must transmit less than 25% of light. This powerful maple syrup is known by its fans for use in baking, look for overtones of toffee, apricot, and coffee when tasting this syrup. For more details on the Vermont maple syrup grading system click here.