Chicken Cock Whiskey Debuts Wheated Bourbon
Historic whiskey brand Chicken Cock, which dates back to 1856, has introduced its first-ever wheated bourbon. The new release marks a significant expansion for the brand's core portfolio, adding a popular style of bourbon to its lineup for the first time.
This new release swaps Chicken Cock's signature rye for wheat as the secondary grain, a significant shift from their core high-rye bourbon recipe. The mash bill for the wheated bourbon consists of 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. The new spirit is aged for a minimum of five years and bottled at 94-proof (47% ABV). This contrasts with other expressions from the brand, which have included a 15-year-old barrel-proof release and various rye whiskeys. By using wheat instead of the more common rye, wheated bourbons typically offer a softer, sweeter flavor profile with less spice. This style is known for approachability and notes of caramel, vanilla, and honey, popularized by iconic brands like Maker's Mark and W.L. Weller. The brand itself dates back to 1856 in Paris, Kentucky. During Prohibition, Chicken Cock gained notoriety as the house whiskey at Harlem's Cotton Club, where it was often smuggled in sealed tin cans. After the original distillery burned down in the 1950s, the brand was dormant for decades before being revived by Grain & Barrel Spirits founder Matti Anttila in 2012. Today, Chicken Cock is distilled at Bardstown Bourbon Company under the oversight of Master Distiller Gregg Snyder, an industry veteran with over four decades of experience.
