Chicken Cock Whiskey Goes Wheated
Historic brand Chicken Cock Whiskey is releasing its first-ever wheated bourbon. The new Kentucky Straight Bourbon marks a significant portfolio expansion for the 170-year-old brand, adding a new mash bill to its core lineup for the first time.
By swapping out its traditional rye for wheat, Chicken Cock's new bourbon offers a softer and sweeter flavor profile than its spicier counterparts. The mash bill consists of 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. This five-year-old, 94-proof Kentucky straight bourbon is designed to be smooth and approachable. The new wheated expression joins a core lineup that includes a Kentucky Straight Bourbon and a Kentucky Straight Rye. The brand's modern spirits are distilled at Bardstown Bourbon Company under the eye of Master Distiller Gregg Snyder. Retailing for around $50-$60, the wheated bourbon aims for the ultra-premium market. Originally established in 1856 in Paris, Kentucky, the Chicken Cock brand has a storied past. It gained notoriety during Prohibition as the house whiskey of Harlem's famous Cotton Club, where it was reputedly smuggled in tin cans. After falling dormant in the 1950s following a distillery fire, the brand was rediscovered in 2011 by spirits entrepreneur Matti Anttila. Grain & Barrel Spirits acquired the brand and has since revived its historic legacy, re-establishing its presence in Kentucky. Fans of the brand can visit its dedicated tasting rooms. The first, Circa 1856, opened in Bardstown, and a second location recently opened in the NuLu district of downtown Louisville.
