Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof Bourbon

strong but damn good

Spicy on the palate, with an oaky vanilla finish. First sip has some spice, the second and subsequent sips are very smooth.

Barrel proof bourbon for under $50? Count me in. Nose: An assortment of baking spices and the smell of fresh-cut hay jump out of the glass. Darker sweet notes of caramel, brownie, brown sugar, and cocoa. Maybe some basil and even green tea. Some sawdust in the background. Layers of complexity mask any evidence of a barrel proof whiskey. Palate: Chewy caramel and toffee. Vanilla, cocoa, brown sugar, and plenty of baking spice. Slightly nutty (almond, walnut) and dry fruit (think Trail Mix). Big ginger note. Well-balanced; not too sweet, but not too spicy either. Pepper and cinnamon spice indicates high proof, but it's far more easy-going than you'd expect at 58.4%. Finish: Here comes the wave of cinnamon and pepper. The ABV reveals itself at this point. Long spicy, fiery finish. Very oaky. Great way to finish off a great dram. This is an amazing value. This bottle cost me $43. Normally, I have to spend more than double that amount to get this level of quality. For that alone, I bumped this up half a star. A lot to love here. A complex, balanced, barrel-proofer for a bargain. Wild Turkey really outdid themselves with this one. It can go toe-to-toe with any of the great American heavyweights. This one is up to $50 where I bought this one. Seems it's gotten a small bump in price. Even so, it's still a great value. Only Old Ezra 7 offers this level of quality at this general price point. If you're a lover of high-proof bourbon, I'd highly recommend this one. And if you're not sure if you can handle a barrel proof whiskey, I'd say start here. It's incredibly subtle considering just how strong this one. Well done, WT.

Classic WT but turned up!

Best bourbon I have had so far!