Chickenduck High Rye Bourbon arrives at 46% abv; high rye mash with corn and barley. Priced at $42 available at Bending Branch but offered in retail across Texas, we assessed it with care.
Nose
Golden, almost turning into amber with medium length legs. It smelled like a sweet rye bourbon. We are greeted with a lovely rye spice and alcohol. Nosing the bourbon, a bit more there are notes of grass, vanilla, clover, and earth tones. Overall, it is pleasant but there isnt a lot of depth to the nose.
Palate
Surprisingly smooth for a high rye. I find notes of sweet corn, lemon at the front. The taste evolves across the palate to reveal worn leather and char at about the mid palate. The flavors give way to a robust finish of dry oak, rye, and a bready flavor. Into the finish it peaks immediately and evenly dissipates off the tongue. Honestly, better than I expected. There is a saying about judging books by their covers, and at the same time there is a lot to be said about labels/bottle design in whiskey. Here the cute cartoon of a duck and chicken is enticing, and the whiskey has merit. It isnt sweet enough to get away with the overall lack of dimension to the rye notes.rnrnIt could be a reasonable sipping whiskey or an easy mixing whiskey – it sips very similarly to Redemption Rye, while not being as punchy as a Bulleit Rye.
Finish
Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by Whiskeyful 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.
Verdict
Chickenduck High Rye Bourbon represents solid craftsmanship at $42 available at Bending Branch but offered in retail across Texas. While it may not redefine expectations, it offers genuine quality and reliable drinking pleasure.
