Bourbon

Bourbon Review: Chickenduck Wheat Bourbon

We review Chickenduck Wheat Bourbon, distilled in Indiana and aged in Texas by a Texan winery.

OVERALL RATING

8
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Chickenduck Wheat Bourbon review

Tasting Notes

About:

Wheated bourbon whiskey, 92 proof or 46% abv, high wheat mash with corn and barley. SRP $42 available at Bending Branch but offered in retail across Texas soon.
Appearance:
Deep caramel almost mahogany.
Nose:
Sweet with immediate notes of caramel, wheat, sugar, leather and dark oak notes. As the glass warms in my hand I am greeted with the familiar smell of alcohol, corn, and a young bourbon. My brain wants to find older more sophisticated notes because of the color, but they aren’t present.
Palate:
immediately tingles the tongue and has a delightful hit of spice in all the right ways. It quickly warms the chest without burning. As the mouth adjusts to the flavor I found brown sugar, smoke, wine tannins, pepper, toffee, with mild malt notes. Throughout the taste you find notes of oak, char, and cedar. The finish sits for a minute before dissipating. The flavors don’t evoke an immediate desire for a return sip, but they don’t discourage one either. It sits well on the tongue between sips.
Finish:
Comments:
Summary: My brain wants to find older more sophisticated notes because of the color, but they aren’t present. The color is like a 15+ year bourbon and I couldn’t get over the color for a little while. It all combines into a reasonably even sip with good balance. For a new, non-aged statement, sourced whiskey, this has some merit.rnrnThis would be a fun bottle to bring out for friends. The whiskey has a fun “pop” to the beginning before revealing more of the subtle notes towards the back end. It would pair nicely with just about anything and won’t steal the show with a meal or in a cocktail.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Charles Steele

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen - if it's peculiar, he's intrigued.

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