In my opinion, there's only one whiskey that conjures a brand of far-gone nostalgia that its cult of fans have likely never experienced: Mellow Corn Kentucky Straight Corn Whiskey. It's a pomp-free, iridescent, and underestimated high-proof whiskey with a bright yellow label and plastic screw-top.
At most stores, Mellow Corn hovers around $12. Sold by Heaven Hill, this wildly strong corn whiskey has a taste once described as ”fresh baked cornbread during a category-five hurricane" meets "southern Italian shoe leather if those shoes had been playing 'kick the corn cob' for 76 hours straight." And, bottled-in-bond at 50 percent ABV, Mellow Corn is stronger than bar cart staples like Basil Hayden or Pendleton.
So, how did an unassuming whiskey—sold in the same bottle since its first release—dominate the hearts and minds of bartenders and convert curious whiskey drinkers?
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Mellow Corn was first made in 1945, created by the Medley Distilling Company in Kentucky. Emblazoned with the ominous phrase “Bottled Under U.S. Government Supervision,” it’s impossible to miss Mellow Corn’s bright yellow bottle—provided you don't look too high up on the supermarket shelf.
A product of one of the oldest defined styles of American whiskey, Mellow Corn is made from a mash bill consisting of 80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and eight percent rye. The cool, corny color comes from the four years Mellow Corn spends aging in ex-bourbon barrels—the very reason why the spirit retains its intense corn flavor.
Heaven Hill acquired Mellow Corn in 1993 following a multi-brand acquisition from United Distillers. Heaven Hill president, Max Shapira made the deal with four simple words: “Yeah, throw it in.”
Jack Choate started working with the brand back in 2014 and has spent the last ten years as brand ambassador rise to the ranks of cult classic.
“The first time I tried it, I said to myself ‘oh, this is like Corn Pops whiskey,” Choate said in an interview with Men’s Journal. “The first response most people have when they see Mellow Corn is ‘what the f--k is that?’I tell them to taste it, and nine times out of 10, they go to, 'oh, that's f--king good.'”
Mellow Corn struts the same path as drinks like Malört or Miller High Life: famously low-priced with a unique flavor profile and old-school following. By way of a booming subreddit and good ol’ fashioned word-of-mouth, Mellow Corn has managed to break out of its box as a novelty and solidify its status as something to be savored.
“It began with bartenders,” said Choate. “They would buy a bottle, which would sometimes make it to behind the bar or hidden away in the back office. Then it’d become the go-to bottle for a pre-shift cheers, or the post-shift drink, or the middle-of-the-shift shot. Then regulars would start seeing it and asking about it, and eventually it made its way to cocktail menus."
The evolution happened naturally. Unlike the Dr. McGillicuddy’s of the world, there’s a versatility to Mellow Corn that allows it to work on different levels. Throw it in an old fashioned, mix into a Manhattan, or try Choate's personal favorite: a Mellow Corn boulevardier.
Mellow Corn is one of the few exceptions to the good, fast, and cheap quagmire. It's a cheap and fiercely tasty whiskey that goes down smooth once you get over your reservations.
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