Chicken Cock whiskeys are bottled by Grain & Barrel Spirits. They recently opened a tasting room on Market Street in Louisville. Now, I know many people are going to say “On Market Street? How is that part of Whiskey Row?” Historically, Whiskey Row included Main and Market Streets from 9th Street in the west to Shelby Street in the east. In my opinion, this tasting room is located on historic Whiskey Row.
The grand opening of their tasting room was a big event. Mayor Greenberg spoke at the opening and many other VIP guests were there. The site includes a gift shop in the front with a tasting room behind that. Downstairs, in the basement is a speakeasy bar accessed through a hidden door behind a bookcase. The event started with a welcoming cocktail – an Old Fashioned cocktail. The event was catered by Dust and Flour Co. and the food was very good. It included Italian style soup, pizza and some goat cheese filled puff pastries that were excellent. Eclairs made with a cream flavored with Chicken Cock Bourbon were served as a sweet treat.
I attended the event with some friends and we got there a little early. This gave me time to talk with Emily Zaborowski, the Director of Brand Experience and Tracy Haigis, the Manager of the Tasting Room. We drank our cocktails while waiting for the Mayor to speak and they passed around shots of Chicken Cock Bourbon to toast the opening. After the Mayor spoke, we mingled with the crowd and went down to the speakeasy, where a band was playing jazz. It was a fun evening.
For those who wish to visit the tasting room, there is no need for reservations as walk-ins are welcome, but you can make a reservation on their website. The hours for the tasting room and gift shop are Monday – Saturday 11am – 7pm, Sunday 1-5pm. The speakeasy is open Thursday – Saturday 5-12 pm and Sunday 5-10pm. There is no charge for the visit.
I highly recommend that you visit this tasting room. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. They have a complete line of their whiskeys available to taste and purchase bottles. The speakeasy has some great cocktails but I am not sure if the jazz band will be there. It is worth your time to pay a visit to Chicken Cock while you are visiting Louisville, whether you are doing the Bourbon Trail or just in town for business.
Photos Courtesy of Michael Veach