Bazooka bubble gum | Sweet corn | Butterscotch | Soft vanilla | Sunny Delight | Fresh cut grass | Hint of pine | Light & sweet

Toasted Oak | Honey | Soft vanilla | Tempered notes of lemon and orange | Touch of ginger | A playful balance of sweet & spice

Light dusty oak | Rye spice | Pepper | Mild malt | Leaning dry & a touch astringent | Medium length & intensity

Chicken Cock is a brand name that never fails to make you smirk, but there is an interesting history behind its namesake and in particular the latest release really runs with it. According to the company, “Originally established in Paris, Kentucky in 1856, Chicken Cock was forced to move production up to Canada during Prohibition. The Canadian Rye whiskey produced during that period was then smuggled back into the U.S. in tin cans, earning the brand the nickname, “The whiskey in a tin can.” It was around this time that Chicken Cock rose to fame as the featured house whiskey at The Cotton Club (located in Harlem at 142nd St. and Lenox Avenue), one of Prohibition’s most legendary speakeasies.”

It’s definitely one of the more interesting stories a brand has leaned on for one of their releases. While this throwback release in its Prohibition-era replica apothecary-style bottle design and impressive age statement manages to encapsulates the fun and whimsical, does it actually deliver? Let’s say it’s complicated.

There’s been an above average amount of high aged Canadian rye that has hit the U.S. market as of late. It’s lighter in color than you’d expect from such a high aged whiskey, and it usually doesn’t taste much like a rye you’d get from an American distillery. That’s a good thing, but can throw you off if you’re not expecting it. Cotton Club Rye is light and sweet which makes it very approachable. It’s finish is where its age shows itself most, nicely contrasting its bright palate with musty oak and some astringency. It is an easy recommendation for rye lovers looking for something out of the ordinary, but the sticker shock will prohibit most from enjoying it. With $500 whiskey quickly becoming a new subset of the American whiskey market, I’m not sure if Cotton Rye has strong enough legs to join that crowd with the increased expectations that come with it. A 9,570 bottle release.