Review: Chicken Cock Small Batch Bourbon

When Grain and Barrel Spirits launched Chicken Cock Whiskey in 2018, the branding drew plenty of amused chatter. While the name might draw some snickers today, the brand was originally established in Paris, Kentucky back in 1856. To revive Chicken Cock Whiskey, Grain and Barrel and Gregg Snyder worked with Bardstown Bourbon Company’s collaborative distilling program. Chicken Cock has made a splash with numerous offerings sporting various finishing casks. To get a great look at the base whiskey, Drinkhacker was provided with a bottle from the 15th batch of Chicken Cock Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon for review.

Each edition of Chicken Cock Small Batch is a blend of 6 barrels aged for at least 5 years, from a mashbill consisting of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley. The distillate comes off the column still at 120 proof and off the doubler at 130 proof. At 120 proof, the white dog entered barrels coopered by West Virginia Great Barrel Company, featuring tight-grain American white oak from the Appalachian region. The barrels feature a #3 barrel char with a medium-plus toast. Waiting for their moment to shine, the barrels rested on the 2nd and 5th floors of the rickhouse.

The historical name will no doubt continue to be funny to many, but is the actual bourbon more serious? Let’s find out!

Rich and inviting, the nose opens with orange marmalade, offering a balance of citrusy sweetness and subtle bitterness. Allspice and well-worn book leather follow the initial citrus. Finally, notes of dark chocolate rounds out the bouquet with a touch of bittersweet elegance. Kicking things off on the palate, dark molasses bring some sweetness combined with earthiness. Crisp orange zest then cuts through, adding contrast. Juicy plum arrives next, lending a richness that enhances complexity, while allspice weaves throughout, offering a peppery depth. The medium-thick mouthfeel coats the palate, balancing weight and vibrancy to create a well-rounded experience. As the experience starts to conclude, notes of ripe peaches present. Caramel follows, but quickly transitions to a hint of crisp pear and orange zest on the fade-out.

While the length of maturation isn’t particularly long, the bourbon is quite good. Many consumers speculate that the frequent use of finishing casks is a ploy to mask sub-par whiskey. Chicken Cock certainly likes utilizing finishing casks, but the base bourbon is very good and is completely without any need to be obscured. I am inclined to feel that at 100 proof Chicken Cock Small Batch is worth $70, though the price is definitely on the high-end of the spectrum. While Green River Kentucky Straight Bourbon is bottled at 90 proof, it features the same mashbill with a similar age at just $35. I fully enjoy the well-made Chicken Cock Small Batch, but it’s hard to get behind paying double the price of Green River with only an additional 10 proof points.

100 proof.

B+ / $70 / chickencockwhiskey.com

The post Review: Chicken Cock Small Batch Bourbon appeared first on Drinkhacker: The Insider’s Guide to Good Drinking.