My Latest Acquisition
Okay, I admit it: One of the primary reasons I chose this particular brand was its name. (You are, after all, reading a blog written by a guy who’s in his late twenties and can’t order Knob Creek in a bar without giggling like a fifth-grader in Sex Ed class.)
The magnificent moniker wasn’t my only motive, though. For one thing, Fighting Cock is made by the Heaven Hill distillery, the institution that’s also responsible for Elijah Craig and Evan Williams Single Barrel, both of which I’ve enjoyed immensely in recent years; for another, it’s strong (to the tune of 103 proof) and, as none of my recent purchases have broken the 100 mark, I figured it was high time I went for something that’d offer a little more bang for my buck.
I’m not going to attempt any of that “Floral notes, intermingled with hints of cinnamon and a soupçon of guava” stuff, mainly 'cause I think the vast majority thereof is latent nonsense, but I will go so far as to describe this particular whiskey as “Pretty damned good.” Consumed neat, it has a pleasantly spicy kick and a long finish, while a couple of ice cubes allow its subtleties to become more apparent and may even render it palatable to the fashion-following Jack Daniel’s crowd.
When one drinks a particular beverage almost exclusively – bourbon, in my case – it’s important to get out of one’s comfort zone every once in a while. Mission accomplished.
