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