Craft bourbon in Boston: what The Wild Duck carries

The Wild Duck, at 86 Massachusetts Ave in Boston, stocks a bourbon whiskey section, with Woodford in stock now, and holds a 4.6 out of 5 rating from 64 Google reviews. No single store wins the title of best craft bourbon shop for everyone, so this guide shows you how to judge a bourbon shelf and what ours looks like today.

Which Boston liquor store has the best selection of craft bourbon?

The honest answer depends on what you want to drink, and the only way to settle it is to look at what each shop actually has on the shelf. The Wild Duck is a liquor store at 86 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02117, and it keeps a dedicated bourbon whiskey section you can browse online before you visit.

What we can tell you with numbers: customers rate The Wild Duck 4.6 out of 5 across 64 Google reviews, and the shop currently has 1 brand and 1 product in stock in bourbon, with 2 categories carrying something on the shelves. That is a small, specific range rather than a sprawling one, and you should know that before you make the trip.

If you want a bottle you cannot find elsewhere, check the category page first, then call or walk in. A shop that tells you plainly what it has is more useful than one that promises everything.

What does craft bourbon actually mean?

Craft bourbon has no legal definition in the United States. Distillers, retailers and writers use the word loosely, usually to mean a smaller producer, a more hands-on process, or a bottle made in limited quantities.

Bourbon itself does have a legal definition. It must be made in the United States from a grain mixture that is at least 51 percent corn, aged in new charred oak containers, and bottled at no less than 80 proof. Nothing can be added except water to bring it down to bottling strength.

So when you see craft on a label, treat it as a description the maker chose, not a guarantee of anything specific. The details on the back label tell you far more.

What do the words on a bourbon label tell you?

Straight bourbon means the whiskey has been aged for at least two years and has no added colouring or flavouring. If it is younger than four years, the label must carry an age statement.

Bottled in bond is a stricter term. The whiskey comes from one distillery, from a single distilling season, has been aged at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse, and is bottled at exactly 100 proof.

Small batch and single barrel are not regulated terms in the same way. Single barrel generally means each bottle comes from one cask, which is why two bottles of the same label can taste a little different. Small batch means the maker blended a limited number of barrels, but the number is the maker's own choice.

Proof is simply twice the alcohol percentage. A higher proof bourbon tastes bigger and is often better with a splash of water.

What bourbon does The Wild Duck have in stock right now?

The bourbon whiskey page shows what is on the shelf today, with the store's own best sellers first. At the moment the brand in stock is Woodford, and the product listed is WOODFORD TEST.

Woodford is a Kentucky bourbon maker, and Kentucky is where the large majority of the country's bourbon is made. If you already know the Woodford style, the product page has the details for the bottle we carry.

Stock changes, so the live page is always the most reliable guide. The broader liquor category shows everything else on the shelves, and the New Arrivals and Top Rated collections are worth a look if you like to see what has changed.

How do you order bourbon from The Wild Duck?

You have four ways to get a bottle: walk in, pick up, have it delivered, or have it shipped. The Wild Duck offers pickup, delivery and shipping alongside the shop floor.

Store hours are 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM Monday to Saturday and 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM on Sunday. Pickup runs from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM Monday to Saturday and 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM on Sunday. Delivery hours are 9:30 AM to 10:30 PM Monday to Saturday and 10:30 AM to 10:30 PM on Sunday.

As with any alcohol order, you must be 21 or older and may be asked to show ID on receipt.

How should you taste a new bourbon at home?

Start neat, in a small glass, with a few drops of room-temperature water if the spirit feels sharp. Water opens up the aroma and softens the heat without changing what the bourbon is.

Nose it before you sip, and take a small sip first. Corn gives bourbon a sweet, round base, and the charred oak adds vanilla, caramel and baking-spice notes. Rye or wheat in the grain mix changes the finish, with rye usually drier and spicier and wheat softer.

If you prefer it over a large ice cube, or in an old fashioned or a highball, that is a perfectly good way to drink it. Pour a measured amount, take your time, and keep it as something to enjoy slowly.

How do you check a Boston bourbon shelf before making the trip?

Look at three things: the category page, the reviews, and the hours. The category page tells you what is actually stocked, the reviews tell you how other customers found the shop, and the hours tell you when you can get there.

For The Wild Duck, that is the bourbon whiskey page, a 4.6 out of 5 Google rating from 64 reviews, and an opening day that runs until 11:00 PM every day of the week.

If you are buying a gift rather than a bottle, a gift card is another option, and the About Us page tells you more about the shop. For anything you want to send back, the return policy explains how that works.