Chicken Cock Island Rooster Rum Barrel Rye Whiskey
Chicken Cock Island Rooster Rum Barrel Rye Whiskey is a 95-proof (47.5% ABV) Kentucky straight rye — 95% rye, 5% malted barley — aged for over four years and finished for at least six months in Caribbean rum casks. Only 25 barrels were selected for this limited edition, and it is bottled non-chill filtered at a full 95 proof. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 47.5% (95 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Age: at least 4 years; finished 6+ months in Caribbean rum casks
- Origin: Kentucky, USA
- Production: 95% rye / 5% malted barley; new charred American oak; non-chill filtered; 25-barrel limited release
Rye Spice Meets Caribbean Rum
The Island Rooster takes Chicken Cock's signature Kentucky straight rye and gives it a Caribbean detour: after four-plus years in new charred oak, the whiskey rests half a year in rum casks, layering candied molasses and tropical sweetness over classic rye spice. Chicken Cock is one of America's oldest whiskey names, revived as a modern limited-release brand, and this is its tropical-leaning bottling — a rye whiskey that drinks like a beach vacation with backbone.
Tasting Notes
The nose shows classic rye spice — mint, honey, and baking spices — with mellow vanilla, sweet rum, and a waft of tropical pineapple. The palate brings brown sugar, baked rye grain, nutmeg, and gentle bootstrap molasses; the finish turns to charred oak and rye spice with a light lingering sweetness.
How to Enjoy
Neat or with a single cube to appreciate the rum-cask interplay, or pour it into a tiki-leaning Old Fashioned or a rum-barrel Manhattan twist. Browse more Chicken Cock releases and our full rye whiskey collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is rum cask finishing?
After its primary aging in oak, the rye spends at least six months in casks that previously held Caribbean rum, picking up molasses, tropical fruit, and extra sweetness that plain oak can't provide.
Is Island Rooster chill filtered?
No — it is bottled non-chill filtered at 95 proof, so more of the whiskey's natural oils and flavor stay in the bottle.
How limited is this release?
Only 25 barrels were selected, bottled as a timed limited release — once the store's stock is gone, it is gone.
Ready to taste rye with a Caribbean streak? Grab Chicken Cock Island Rooster at Del Mesa Liquor — order online from San Diego, CA.