If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Robb Report may receive an affiliate commission.
The name WhistlePig has become practically synonymous with rye whiskey, as the Vermont-based distillery has taken control of the premium space in that category over the past decade. But WhistlePig has branched out a bit, venturing into single malt whiskey last year with the launch of the Beholden. Now the brand has upped the ante on age (and cost) with the release of a new 25-year-old single malt called, in a cringingly dad joke style with lots of stylized punctuation, the Badönkådonk.
The Beholden was a 21-year-old whiskey distilled at “the first single malt distillery in Canada,” which very likely means Glenora in Cape Breton although that is unconfirmed. I enjoyed that whiskey very much, even if the $800 price tag felt a bit excessive. According to a rep for the brand, The Badonkadonk was distilled at the same distillery and aged for a quarter century in new American oak barrels. The whiskey was then brought to Vermont in 2020 for further maturation in Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon barrels, and ultimately released as a single barrel expression. That means the whiskey may differ depending upon which barrel your bottle comes from, but official tasting notes describe “stone fruits, cedar wood, and a hint of discord” on the palate. Discord aside, that description rings true, with a decent amount of spice, tannic oak, dried fruit, and just a whiff of wood smoke along for the ride.
“Our single malts stand apart not only for age, but also maturation in the world’s best barrels,” said WhistlePig head blender Meghan Ireland in a statement. “After finishing The Beholden in our own well-aged rye barrels (with a wink), we set our sights on the best of California wine country. Known for their superstar Cabernets aged exclusively in American oak barrels, Silver Oak is the perfect partner to push boundaries with.” And for some reason WhistlePig recruited Monty Python cofounder and comedy legend John Cleese to promote the new whiskey by creating a video and penning a statement that plays on his love for scotch whisky. “I thought it was rather cheeky when I learned that some colonials were trying to ape the scotches that have from the beginning of time been crafted in Scotchland,” he said. “BUT… when I tasted it… MY WHOLE WORLD CHANGED!! My very DNA was instantly revised, my taste buds DANCED THE BAGPIPE, and I instantly became SPIRITUALLY ADVANCED.”
If you’d like to seek out some whiskey enlightenment for yourself, this bottle is going to cost you—it’s listed at $2,000, but will likely go for much more than that based on the prices currently listed for the Beholden at websites like Flaviar. Fortunately, you can find it for its listed price at the WhistlePig website now, but only while these limited supplies last.
