Cedar plank | Mixed citrus | Faint barley | Faint marshmallow | Light honey | Unique

Oak | Allspice | Honey | Light mandarin orange | Vanilla syrup | White peppercorn spice

Spiced honey | White peppercorn | Light chewy oak | Lingering spice

Whiskeys that come in eye-catching bottles are either love-it-or-hate-it affairs, due to the fact that they can be used as a gimmick to sell whiskey. In this case, the standout shotgun shell bottle design used for World Whiskey Society’s Ducks Unlimited Shotgun Shell American Single Malt serves a purpose. The company has continued their partnership with Ducks Unlimited, which is the “world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing wetlands, grasslands and other waterfowl habitats.” The bottle comes in a tube with a large removable plastic top to mimic the design of a shotgun shell, which is unique, but appropriate considering the whiskey it houses.

The whiskey opens with a really unique aroma that takes you a second to process what you’re smelling. Scents of cedar plank, mixed citrus, and faint barley mingle with light honey and marshmallow. The palate pulls forward a unique mandarin orange note along with oak, allspice, and honey, however, it comes across as slightly muddled. Ending with a building spice, the finish provides spiced honey, white peppercorn, and pleasing light chewy oak before fading away to a lingering spice.

Ducks Unlimited Shotgun Shell American Single Malt is more citrus influenced than other American single malts you normally come across. It’s a unique yet pleasing pour that seems appropriate for the unique bottle it resides in.