Fighting Cock 6 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Here we have another bottle of cheap bourbon that I bought to drink with the neighbors and/or while hidden discretely in a travel coffee mug while rocking out on stage so I don’t have to pay bar prices for my drinks. Fighting Cock is produced by Heaven Hill and is their answer to Wild Turkey 101. It’s bottled at 51.5% ABV, or 103 proof, which makes it 2 better than WT lol. It used to carry a 6 year age statement, but that was done away with in 2015 I believe and now carries no age statement at all. HH still claims that it contains mostly 6 old year stock. It is a natural color of dark copper and despite its hefty ABV, I believe it is chill filtered as I have drank it with water and over ice and not once noticed any mist forming. The mash bill is 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley. The nose has an initial hit of mint, followed by heavily charred oak, wood smoke and strong rye spice. Toffee, caramel and butterscotch leading into vanilla cream, buttery corn and black pepper. Cinnamon, light bananas, beeswax and a mineral note (limestone?). Very herbal after resting a while, tobacco, walnuts and peanuts. Water brings out brown sugar, a little more banana and a chalky note. The palate is peppery heat, oak, lots of rye with cinnamon and fennel. Walnuts, but kind of like when you are eating walnuts but then you get a bad one...like that. Bitter orange oil, astringent. Water brings out corn, vanilla, and toffee. At this point it really becomes Evan Williams Black Label. Medium to full bodied mouthfeel, lightly oily, mouthwatering and fairly hot. The finish is medium length with oak, rye and mint. Dry. For a sub $20 bourbon (I paid $18), this is pretty good stuff. The nose has decent complexity with almost nothing off putting or unpleasant. The palate is not quite so good with obvious flaws, but to be fair I believe this was meant to be mixed or at least enjoyed over ice. I was surprised how much of the rye spice came through even though it comprises only 13% of the mash bill. Probably won’t buy again as I feel EW White Label offers better flavors for the same price. A solid 3 Cheers

buns and bourbon

Nice everyday bourbon. Not too harsh burn with plenty of classic bourbon flavor.

Offer this at blind tastings and everyone loves it. When I reveal what it is, all are surprised.

Have had both the 6yr age stayed and the more recent NAS. Personally I’m a huge fan of the 6yr , you get a simple product that the things it does it does well! Surprisingly a nice blend of rye spice at the forefront followed by some oak and a nice finish. On the 6yr I’d give it an 85-88 out of 100. While the NAS one is more brash, ethanol forward and it takes an additional 5-10 extra minutes to let it breathe . The finish is also considerably shorter on the new one . It’s not bad I’ll still buy a bottle when on sale for around $17 bucks but I wouldn’t search it out. 79-82 out of 100

3 - 3.2 ⭐️. Vanilla, light chocolate and caramel on the nose, which follows through on the palate. A little hot mid to late palate but had some sweetness to balance out the heat. Also picked up very light oily touch when drinking neat. Medium finish. Overall nice “rough & tumble” bourbon and great value for the price (<$18 from Total Wine). Great back-up/fall-back option in between longer relationship bottles :)