American

WhistlePig 25 Year Single Malt The Badönkådonk

$1,999.99

OVERALL
RATING

9

Whiskey Review: WhistlePig 25 Year Single Malt The Badönkådonk

We review WhistlePig 25 Year Single Malt The Badönkådonk, aged for a quarter century in new American oak and then finished in a Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon barrel.
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Tasting Notes:

About:
Canadian single malt aged for a quarter century in new American oak and then finished in a Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon barrel. Bottling strength varies. It is priced at $1,999.99.
Appearance:
A rich, moderate amber color exists in glass, hosting moderate viscosity and thinner legs.
Nose:
This single malt has a very earthy and warm nose, delivering notes of Christmas spice, gingerbread, chocolate pudding, freshly baked bread, and a bit of oak.
Palate:
It is like drinking Christmas in a glass. The palate reflects the nose, giving strong consideration to Christmas spice, gingerbread, and chocolate pudding. Joining these are some strawberry jam, oak, cherries, a little hint of bubble gum, a kiss of vanilla, and a back end of toffee.
Finish:
This finishes delightfully, leaving a long linger of spice and sweetness in the back throat that is quite pleasant.
Comments:
WhistlePig has quite a bottle in this 25-year whiskey finished in Silver Oak Cab barrels. The palate has a vast array of complexity, and the finish is legendary. It is a steep haul on the wallet, but it’s worth a bottle if you’ve got the $$$.
WhistlePig 25 Year Single Malt The Badönkådonk review
We review WhistlePig 25 Year Single Malt The Badönkådonk, aged for a quarter century in new American oak and then finished in a Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon barrel. (image via WhistlePig)

Editor’s Note: We received a review sample of this whiskey from the brand. However, in accordance with our editorial policies, this has not influenced the outcome of our review in any way.

WhistlePig, usually a purveyor of all things rye whiskey, also dabbles a bit in the single malt category, with a particular focus on older age statement bottlings. Last year, for example, the Vermont-based distillery released The Béhôlden, Aged 21 Years. This whiskey is now a limited annual release, with prices of around $899.99.

Not content to rest there, WhistlePig recently released an even older age statement North American Single Malt, this time aged a quarter of a century and finished in former California Cabernet Sauvignon barrels.

What’s in the bottle

WhistlePig 25 Year Single Malt The Badönkådonk, the focus of this review, was sourced from Canada, likely from the Glenora distillery, where the 21-year-old is said to have emerged from. After a quarter century in new American oak, each barrel is finished in a Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon barrel before being bottled as a single-barrel release.

“Our Single Malts stand apart not only for age but also maturation in the world’s best barrels. After finishing The Béhôlden in our own well aged Rye Barrels (with a wink), we set our sights on the best of California wine country,” said Meghan Ireland, Head Blender at WhistlePig, at the time of this whiskey’s release. “Known for their superstar Cabernets aged exclusively in American Oak barrels, Silver Oak is the perfect partner to push boundaries with, showing what’s possible on our side of the pond.”

WhistlePig 25 Year Single Malt The Badönkådonk is available in very limited quantities annually, priced at $1,999.99 for a 750 ml bottle. Our review sample is from barrel 3 and is bottled at 91 proof.

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti is the founder of The Whiskey Wash, an award-winning whiskey lifestyle website dedicated to informing and entertaining consumers about whisk(e)y globally. As a whisk(e)y journalist, expert, and judge, he has written extensively about the subject, been interviewed in various media outlets, and provided tasting input on many whiskeys at competitions.

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