Proof: 103
Color: dark amber
Nose: Baking spices, caramel, toasted wood, apricot
Taste: kettle corn, baking spices, toasted walnut & pecan smokiness
Value: excellent

The second installment of the “Attack of Cheap Whiskies” feature finds us with, Fighting Cock. I acquired this bottle for about $17 U.S.

This Bardstown Bourbon features no age statement, but does have “Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey” right on the front of the bottle. Let’s dive right into my Let’s Not Mince Words statement™ shall we?

Fighting Cock is a clear example that quality booze doesn’t have to cost you a day’s wage.

On the heels of my Ancient Age review, I wasn’t really expecting much here. But Fighting Cock, a Heaven Hill brand, packs a punch!  I haven’t written up Elijah Craig yet (another Heaven Hill brand) but I do love that stuff. They know what they’re doing in Bardstown!

With no age stated but “Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey” on the bottle, we know that Fighting Cock is at least 2 years old. This time around, it turns out that the stuff is just shy of 6 years old. Nearly six years in the barrel! And this stuff allows you to buy a bag of chips with the change on your $20!

Now that we’re armed with all of this information and forewarned of the 103 proof booze in the bottle, let’s get down to tasting and judgement!

Spice! Smokiness! Dried apricot! Warm caramel! All of these lovely scents rise from the glass to greet your nose.  I can’t stress the spices enough. I’m guessing this is a high-rye bourbon because of the spices, but there’s no pepper on the nose.

Diving in for a sip, Fighting Cock presents beautiful smokiness in the presence of toasted walnut and pecan. Following the smoke is all that spice plus luscious caramel corn.
Lovely legs in the glass simply confirm what my tongue and throat know: good viscosity, but not oily.

The finish is long and warm. Spices linger on the tip of the tongue long after the booze has been swallowed. Fighting Cock would pair beautifully with a fatty steak or greasy cheeseburger. And with this price point and proof, it’ll blend wonderfully into cocktails with no guilt about “wasting” a pricey whiskey.
Now, I did my tasting of this 103 proof booze straight from the bottle; no ice, no water.  And: no whiskey bite! I was fully expecting this stuff to hurt, but it didn’t.

Suprisingly smooth, wonderfully complex, Fighting Cock is a Bourbon worthy of the name.

Will I be poisoning my body with more Fighting Cock? Yes.
Would I recommend that you try it? Yes!

Dear Heaven Hill Distilling,

I could kiss you.

-Eron

Final Rating: 86 out of 100