Review: WhistlePig Declaration Wheat Whiskey and PiggyBank 2026

Ready to get your patriotism on for the big 250? Well, WhistlePig is, offering up its latest PiggyBank in red, white, and blue along with a brand new wheat whiskey called Declaration, named after the only Declaration you’ve ever heard of in your life.

July 4 will be here before you know it, so get your glasses ready along with the Roman candles!

WhistlePig Declaration Wheat Whiskey Review

This is a blend of high-wheat mashbill whiskeys (official mashbill is unstated) made in Vermont and Indiana. Further details are unknown, though pay attention to the copper-hued stopper, meant to evoke the cracked Liberty Bell. As wheat whiskeys go, this one has lots to commend it, its nose quite vibrant with an aromatic mix of Wheat Thins and peppery rye, which clearly makes up a good portion of the total mashbill. It could easily pass for a well-ryed bourbon, as there’s even a hint of peanut pushed down in the nose.

Quite sweet on the palate with a healthy dollop of almond butter and orange blossom honey, the rye influence is at first less evident but builds as the midpalate develops, effectively melding sweet and spice. The finish is increasingly grassy but never as peppery as the nose would suggest, offering a reprise of glazed nuts, baked apples, and toasted brioche. That finish is on the short side but fully palatable, with a lightly acidic conclusion that evokes apple cider vinegar — quite cleansing, actually. 86 proof. B+ / $74

WhistlePig PiggyBank Rye 10 Years Old 2026 Review

It’s hard to keep track of PiggyBank releases, as while the pig-shaped decanter is unique, they are largely distinguished by the colors used on the bottle and on the wax around the butthole of the pig. For PiggyBank 2025, WhistlePig (as near as I can tell) did a do-over of the 2024 release, again offering a gold-clad decanter that, as far as I can tell, is the same product as the 2024 bottling. We didn’t review it.

For 2026, the fifth edition, we’re getting something new. Tuned for release in time with the 250th anniversary of the U. S. of A., this features a patriotic decanter clad in silver metal, accented with blue and red labeling plus white wax on the rear. Hey, at least it’s not Canadian whiskey in the bottle, unlike the 2024 release was! This one’s made in the U.S. like the 2022 and 2023 bottlings. So with all that in mind, let’s uncork the butt of this swine and see what the most patriotic pig-decantered whiskey ever made has to say to us.

WhistlePig’s PiggyBank releases — at 55% abv — always tend toward grassy and pungent, and this release is no exception. It’s all grass on the nose, freshly cut and quite green, backed up with thyme and a hint of mint. Touches of dark chocolate and black cherry add some intrigue, but you’ll need to sit with this whiskey in glass for a bit before they finally emerge.

It’s arguably worth the effort. As with many older ryes, this is a whiskey that benefits from air time. On the palate, time reveals notes of apple pie-adjacent fruit, laced with cinnamon, a stronger orange peel note, and some herbal saffron. The combination of baking spice and tart apple reminded me of a rustic applejack at times, with notes of banana and tangerine adding more fruit to the finish. Nutmeg and ginger reprise the fade-out, with is a bit tight thanks to its boozy heat but which eventually yields to showcase some buttery unctuousness. 110 proof.

B+ / $250 (1 liter) [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

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