Mint | Honey | Baking spices | Light grated cinnamon | Brown sugar | Baked rye grain | Very faint molasses

Gentle bootstrap molasses | Aged oak | Rye spice | Nutmeg | Faint maple sugar candy

Rye spice | Charred oak | Brown sugar | Very light lingering spice

American whiskey, specifically bourbon, finished in rum barrels has become incredibly common. While rye is less common, there has slowly been a number of brands experimenting with the category, such as Wheel Horse, Fincasa De La Tierra, Angel's Envy, and Two Soul Spirits, to name a few. Produced in small batches of just 25 barrels, Chicken Cock Island Rooster is back this year with a timed release to coincide with National August Rum Month. To produce this release, the company states that they utilize rye aged for over 4 years that is then finished in rum barrels for at least 6 months.  

Inhaling brings about a light, classic, MGP 95/5 rye mashbill aroma. A scent of mint is most prominent, followed by sweet scents of honey and brown sugar. Baking spices come into play, and a note of nutmeg carries over to the midpoint, which contains no single dominant flavor. Instead, the delivery is more subdued than not. The finish kicks off with a flash of rye spice before more prominent charred oak and brown sugar take hold. Ending on a very light lingering spice note, you’re left to ponder why the rum finishing barrels had such little impact for the time the whiskey spent finishing in them.

Chicken Cock initially released Island Rooster in 2022. When we first reviewed it, we found it to be a delicate but pleasing sip that carried a shocking price for what it was. Fast forward 4 years, and the rye is still holding its price point, which is surprising for limited releases nowadays. While it’s nice to see the price stay consistent, that doesn’t diminish the fact that its asking price is still shocking. In fact, Chicken Cock Island Rooster is one of the highest priced rum finished ryes released this year, and almost as high as Angel’s Envy 10-Year Cask Strength Rye.

For the price Grain and Barrel Spirits is asking, the whiskey is fine, but has a hard time standing out among more modern rum barrel rye finishes as of late. In fact, considering the rye spent over 6 months finishing in rum barrels, the rum influence is almost non-existent at times. Taking into account the final sip the whiskey produces, the cost, and the fact that the market has changed over the last four years since this was first introduced, Chicken Cock Island Rooster starts to seem more ordinary than not in today’s marketplace.