Description
WhistlePig The Badönkådonk is a 25 year old single malt and one of the oldest whiskeys the Vermont brand has bottled. The name is a joke, but the liquid is serious. It was released in April 2024 with a suggested price close to $2,000.
The malt was distilled in Canada, at what WhistlePig calls the first malt distillery in North America. It spent a quarter century in new American oak. It was then finished in Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon barrels from Silver Oak, the Napa winery. Each bottle comes from a single barrel and is numbered.
The nose shows stone fruit and fig over earthy oak and warm baking spice. Wine-barrel notes of grape and cherry sit in the background. Some tasters also find worn leather on the nose and dark chocolate on the palate. On the palate, honey and malt lead. A soft vanilla custard sweetness follows. Then the long years in oak show up as firm, drying tannin. The finish is long, with oak spice and a little sweetness that hangs on.
This is a slow, thoughtful pour. Use a tulip glass and taste it neat first. Add a few drops of water later to see how the fruit and spice shift. Dark chocolate, aged gouda or roasted pecans make quiet partners if you want something on the side.
VinePair gave it 93 points. If you collect rare, age-stated North American single malts, this is a bottle to hunt down. It also suits a milestone you want to toast with something truly old.
