Wild Turkey Master's Keep Cornerstone Rye

This is delicious. Butterscotch with a nuanced pepper finish. Wow.

Green apple, vanilla, a bit hot at proof. Couple drops of water and the fruit really comes out.

I received this bottle as an overly generous gift from my (obviously) favourite friend. I've wanted to try this for some time and ecstatic to have a bottle of my own. Initial tasting was at original proof but at 54.5% it's a bit hot for me. I added water to bring to about 47%, which is my sweet spot. Nose: Some ripe red apples and maybe a slight hint of peach. However, vanilla and caramel stand out to me here. I think caramel apples is a good overall summary of the nose. Palate: Initially salted caramel but the delicious rye spice quickly emerges. Pepper and cinnamon are prominent here. Finish: Long and spicy. More pepper and then a really gentle bitterness persists on the back of the palate for some time. Overall this is fantastic and I'm definitely grateful for my excellent friend @BradMacario!

I was excited to be able to finally acquire a bottle of Masters keep, and especially excited that this version is a rye release, which tends to be a favorite of mine. Originally nosed and tasted neat. Nose: Despite the high ABV, it's smooth and not too hard hitting. Vanilla and cinnamon are the first notes, however further exploration goes well beyond that. Layered in are notes of fresh picked dill, as well as an underlying sweetness. I no longer detect the initial cinnamon hit I got, which may have just been due to the alcohol content. Water brings out the vanilla even more and mellows the spice slightly, not surprisingly. Palate: The high proof is far more evident on the palate than the nose on the first sip. Warming and sweet. The rich initial impression melts into a nice sharp spice as well as some of that dill hint that was present on the nose. A few drops of water bring out some vanilla richness (and also will make this pour last longer!). The extra age of this rye really gets the oak flavours working in the mouth and everything just seems to come together in a beautiful harmony, so much that it's seeming hard to isolate. Another full proof splash really feels vanilla and custard forward. Finish: This is where the oak and rye spices flourish. The spices and oak tannins continue to dance around the back of my hard palate. Vanilla and these flavours enjoy a wonderfully long presence. Overall I am impressed. I am a fan of Wild Turkey, and have tasted one or two of the previous iterations of Masters Keep. This is a very rich rye that doesn't lose the characteristics of a nice rye, while balancing it out with sweetness and a well aged bourbony profile. I sit here, twirling my imaginary waxed moustache and feel very fortunate to be able to own and enjoy a bottle like this.

Briny entry, bitter finish