Good Times Chocolate Mint Cask Finished Rye (116 Proof) – Cox’s Creek Distilling Review
A nostalgic hot-cocoa-meets-rye experiment that somehow delivers exactly what it promises without tipping too deeply into gimmick territory.
About Cox’s Creek Distilling
“Our mission is simple: to craft exceptional bourbon for everyone…” – Cox’s Creek Distilling website
Cox’s Creek Distilling Company, located in its namesake, Cox’s Creek, Kentucky, is host to a number of non-distilling producer (NDP) brands including Good Times, Old Zach, and Old Rick.
Good Times is likely its most (in)famous brand due to their eclectic cask “finishes”, which caught notoriety in the thick of the Bourbon Boom on countless single barrel picking clubs.
Old Zach made its name sourcing BuffTurkey during the height of its craze and more recently the eighteen year Barton barrels that have been circulating through the NDP channels.
Old Rick is the newest addition to their brand lineup which has primarily seemed to be sourcing high age statement (18-21 year) American light whiskey as well as interesting blends like the one provided to the author.
Stats
- Age: NAS
- Proof: 116 Proof (58% ABV)
- Mashbill: 95% Rye │5% Malted Barley
- Origin: Midwest Grain Products (MGP), Indiana (Sourced)
- Finish: Chocolate Cask
- Release: 2025 Single Barrel
- MSRP: $99.99
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Cocoa Puffs and toasted marshmallow immediately set the tone. There’s a nostalgic hot cocoa sweetness with distant rye spice, spearmint, and a soft minty lift that keeps it from feeling heavy.
- Palate: Astringent mint hits first, followed by maple syrup and milk chocolate. The opening feels slightly disjointed — mint and chocolate circling each other rather than fully linking up.
- Finish: Everything finally clicks. Peppermint patties take center stage alongside baking spices, finishing with a cherry Lifesaver linger that hangs on longer than expected.
While many industry professionals question Good Times’ methodology of achieving such interesting finishes and whether legitimate casks are used rather than artificial flavorings, I will be taking the samples provided – as always – at face value of the whiskey I am tasting with as little bias as possible.
This whiskey does exactly what it promises though there are moments where I’ll fully admit, I found myself wondering if (and how) this was aged in a chocolate cask. Regardless of the method, the nose is pure childhood nostalgia — hot cocoa with those tiny marshmallows — while the palate ultimately delivers a profile that tastes like well-aged MGP rye enhanced by a thoughtfully applied chocolate cask finish.
Buy this if you:
- Enjoy uniquely finished ryes
- Want a unique, high-end cocktail mixer
- Like sweeter pours
Skip if you:
- Prefer only straight ryes
- Need more transparency in finishing processes
It’s hard to gauge a value point here not knowing the age of the rye whiskey or what the true finishing method is, time in the supposed chocolate casks is, etc.
For me, a $99.99 bottle of finished whiskey would need to be at least 7-8 years old with a significant finishing time, double or triple cask. As it stands, this is a good tasting whiskey, but the price is hard for me to personally justify.
For those who prefer numbers, here’s the full score breakdown:
- Nose: 4.5 / 7
- Palate: 4 / 7
- Finish: 5 /7
- Presentation: N/A (samples)
- Value: 2 / 7
Bourbon Bishop Rating: 3.88 / 7 – Bliss
Passable sipper. Works well in cocktails.
| Score | Descriptor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0–1 | Hell No | Drain pour. Seriously undrinkable. |
| 1.1–2 | Purgatory | Bad, but could be worse. Only in extreme cases. |
| 2.1–3 | Only Earthly | Just okay. Best used as a mixer. |
| 3.1–4 | Bliss | Passable sipper. Works well in cocktails. |
| 4.1–5 | Angelic | Good to great. High value for the price. |
| 5.1–6 | Divine | Top-shelf. Must-buy for fans of the style. |
| 6.1–7 | Holy Heaven | Out-of-this-world. A true unicorn. |
Disclosure: This sample was provided to me free of charge for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
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