BOTM 6/10: Fighting Cock

[ethangsmith]

Interesting. I'd love to see what the old bottle looks like!

[BFerguson]

this use to be a college favorite of mine. Price was good, plenty of flavor, stood up well to mixing, and was always on stock.

While my tastes have changed since then, along with the budget, it would be good to take a trip down memory lane.........

B

[ethangsmith]

To me Fighting Cock tastes like a slightly older Old Grand Dad BIB- and since I LOVE OGD BIB, I like the Fighting Cock quite a bit. I wonder how and why they arrived at 103 proof? Always thought that was a bit odd.

[Enoch]

I always thought it was to compete with Wild Turkey ... just a little higher proof.

[craigthom]

I always thought it was to compete with Wild Turkey ... just a little higher proof.

I'd be surprised if that wasn't it. Both Eagle Rare 101 and Fighting Cock, named after birds and over 100 proof, are were Wild Turkey competitors. Fighting Cock just turned it up to 11.

[Flyfish]

Enoch,
Assuming that you are in Columbia, SC , how in the world is it that "The store I bought it from had about five or six cases left"? Even during their losing seasons, the Gamecocks played in a full stadium and many fans consoled themselves with another pour of FC.

[tommyboy38]

I haven't picked up any FC103 yet but I did see case of it the other day. The outside of the case says, "Warning! Fighting Cock Inside!"

[Enoch]

Enoch,
Assuming that you are in Columbia, SC , how in the world is it that "The store I bought it from had about five or six cases left"? Even during their losing seasons, the Gamecocks played in a full stadium and many fans consoled themselves with another pour of FC.

Actually this store is not in Columbia and not on Google. They don't have any new FC only the old stuff. I've bought about a doz bottles and traded some of that away. I have to be careful buying from this store. If I buy too much at once I think he thinks he's getting cheated and it will be off the shelf the next time I go there. It's not in an area many Gamecock fans will go.

[Flyfish]

Actually this store is not in Columbia and not on Google. They don't have any new FC only the old stuff. I've bought about a doz bottles and traded some of that away. I have to be careful buying from this store. If I buy too much at once I think he thinks he's getting cheated and it will be off the shelf the next time I go there. It's not in an area many Gamecock fans will go.

Even better! FC dusties and plenty of them. Ya done good, boy!

[StraightNoChaser]

I picked up a Fighting Cock 7/103 a few months ago while dusty hunting in Kaufman, TX.

It was a very strange store. The front door was locked with a doorbell. The bell rang across the street at a small convenience store owned by a funny Paki guy. This guy walks out, comes and asks me what I'm looking for and I give him the collector spiel. He takes me inside and the store is separated by a wall with a window and all the liquor behind it. He takes me to the back and I start digging through mountains of disgustingly dusty shelves in a 15x15 room. I see all kinds of liqueurs from 60's and 70's... even some old school Bacardi I had never heard of. Among all the trash was 3 half pints of FC 7/103 with red tax strips. No barcode or Gov't warning on the back at all.

I picked them all up and walked back across the street to the convenience store to pay. The guy starts to tell me the story of how he acquired the liquor in the first place. Apparently it was originally owned by a competitor. That competitor died and his widow wanted to get rid of the store so my Paki friend bought it for a steal. Then he says "I guess you could say I really killed my competition!"

We had a good, morbid laugh.

At any rate, the FC I have is amazing. Truly an old school flavor to it that I don't sense in any current offerings. Shame I only have 1 half pint left...