From Holsten. A new type of beer brewed like an ale and dispensed like a lager. It has been sucessful in Germany for many years TARGET CONSUMER Nigel Snook, 48, is a civil servant from Bath I like the packaging but I have my doubts about the name. I think it is naff, it might not be attractive to many UK consumers. Going into a pub or an off licence and asking for a duck might sound a bit odd. The bottle and label are attractive. I don't think the Holsten name gives it an advantage. I think this is Holsten trying to broaden its product range and that is not necessarily an incentive to purchase. The beer itself has a distinctive taste, sort of woody, probably because of the beechwood. It is a reasonably well made product but it is not particularly remarkable. I would not buy this if I saw it, though I might try it as a novelty. It is certainly not something you would consume in any great quantity. Rating out of 25 ­ 15 Sally Easton Master of Wine and wine buyer for Berry Brothers and Rudd Duckstein sounds like it should be a cult beer. Its packaging is modern with clean lines. The ale is a bright amber colour with quite intense caramel and sweet hop characters on the nose. The palate, initially slightly pétillant, is rich with honeyed and walnut notes which finish with an attractive bitter twist; a savoury toasted nut flavour lingers on this finish. The texture is smooth with a full, round body and a refreshing balance of flavour and acidity which contribute a level of complexity and quality above the norm. As a "hybrid" beverage of good quality it deserves to find a niche in this market. Success rating out of 25 ­ 20 Graham Shearsby Board creative director, graphics, at Design Bridge Overall this is an interesting pack with a rather nice physical appearance. The name is quirkily intriguing and the product invites trial. But ­ and it is a big but ­ the crafting and attention to detail is appalling. The elements have literally been thrown together with the usual suspect brewing illustration and dodgy signature. This is very disappointing from one of Germany's biggest brewers. One starts to question the authenticity of the whole presentation and the product. Another case of a product with all the right ingredients but which lacks true soul. Success rating out of 25 ­ 10 Steve Mayes Category controller at Landmark Duckstein ­ an unusual name. More like a cautionary cry at the Munich Beer Festival! The packaging is quirky with a bulbous bottle, Disney's magic kingdom on the label and no obvious reference to Holsten. Tasting more like a barley wine, pitched as a lager/ale and suffering from a long and furry aftertaste, the duck falls between two stools. The rsp is about right but the duck is a niche product rather than a mainstream one so it's got a limit to its potential. Basically, the duck is mixed up. It sells well in Germany but the UK is a different market. The quirkiness is almost charming ­ but not quite. Success rating out of 25 ­ 7 Total score out of 100 ­ 52 {{DRINKS }}

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