In this edition of Castaway, we are sending Chicken Cock master distiller Gregg Snyder to the American Whiskey island. Gregg has more than 45 years of experience and knowledge in the whiskey industry, dating back to the 1970s. His roles have varied from plant manager for White Rock Distilleries to director of marketing and material supply at Blue Grass Cooperage (now known as Brown-Forman cooperage). As well as his current role at Chicken Cock, Gregg is also CEO at Distilled Spirits Consulting. Other achievements of note in his career include formerly being on the board of directors at both the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Foundation, a recipient of Indiana University’s Distinguished Alumni award, and an honorary Kentucky colonel.

Whiskey #1

The ‘Original’ Eagle Rare 

101 Proof Bourbon

This delectable bourbon set the standard for me early on in my drinking years. Produced at the Old Prentice Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky (now known as the Four Roses Distillery), the mash bill was similar if not the same as the current mash bills and yeast that Four Roses use today. In addition to the usual characteristics of a great bourbon, like caramel, vanilla, and sweet oak lactones, this bourbon had an amazing complexity of toffee, dried fruit, and a hint of old leather. It was absolutely delicious and one that I enjoyed sharing with my father, who also loved great bourbon.

Whiskey #2

The ‘Original’ Benchmark Bourbon

While this brand is owned, produced and bottled by another company today, the ‘original’ Benchmark Bourbon was spectacular! While working as a supervisor for Seagram in Louisville, you could always tell when they were bottling Benchmark.  As soon as you opened the doors of the building, the smell of rich, full-bodied bourbon filled the air. You see, the original bottle design, which was very luxurious in appearance, had a serious design flaw with weak spots/stress points.  The base of the bottle was larger in diameter than any other part of the bottle. Therefore, as the bottles moved down the line, since there weren’t two points of contact, bottle to bottle, the bases of the bottles would clank together, causing the bottles to break and the whiskey would run all over the floor.  

Whiskey #3

Old Weller

Antique 107 Bourbon, circa 1992

For 12 of my 46 years in the business, I worked for Brown-Forman. Nine of those 12 years, I managed their cooperage operations at Blue Grass Cooperage, and we sold barrels to just about every distillery in Kentucky and Tennessee. One of our good customers was United Distillers, now known as Diageo. In the early 1990s, they owned the old Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky.  I would typically call on them about once a month or more. Their plant manager, with whom I worked previously, was a good friend of mine. One day he gave me a bottle of Old Weller Antique 107... the complexity of this whiskey was outstanding.

Whiskey #4

The ‘Original’ Russell’s Reserve

10 Years Old Bourbon

This is one of my favorite whiskeys, not only because the flavors and aroma are
so amazing, but I also have a personal attachment to this bourbon — I created the brand. This 10-year-old bourbon was a caramel bomb, with wonderful vanilla bean notes, the right balance of oak, and a never-ending finish of crème brûlée. A few years after the brand was introduced, some new marketing people were placed in charge of the brand, and they changed to the shorter bottle.

Whiskey #5

Chicken Cock

‘Small Batch’ Kentucky Straight Bourbon 100 Proof

Of course, I must take one of my most prized current projects along with me — our latest addition to the Chicken Cock whiskey lineup. Soon to be in the market, we just began bottling this small batch bourbon and its flavor and aroma are second to none.   While the blended/mixed bourbon is still very good and balanced at 90 proof, there is a remarkable difference in the Chicken Cock Small Batch Bourbon at 100 proof. In addition to the typical caramel, vanilla, and oak lactones, I get chocolate-covered cherries and toasted marshmallows. It is absolutely a bourbon I thoroughly enjoy and one that I am very proud to be a part of.

A Luxury Item

Since I mostly enjoy my bourbon with family and dear friends, I would need a nice helicopter and endless supply of fuel to transport those people to the island.  But then again, I guess with a helicopter, I wouldn’t be considered a castaway? Either way, with an endless supply of these five bourbon whiskeys and great friends to enjoy it with, I could live quite happily.