Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof Bourbon

3.5

Been holding on to this bottle since we toured the Wild Turkey distillery back in September. This was one of the samples provided for the post-tour tasting and it was promising enough to make me drop $60 for a bottle. I’m seeing this for about $47 online. At that price it is a no-brainer. This is a barrel strength whiskey, bottled at 58.4% ABV. It’s a nice medium amber in the glass, with a thick oily coating that produces nice long legs. The nose is reminiscent of WT101. There is only a slight burn despite the high ABV. Lots of vanilla and rye/cinnamon spice. The spice is a result of their distilling process, not because of a high rye content. Water had no effect on the nose, but greatly enhanced the palate. The palate from the neat tasting is hot, spicy, with vanilla and a thick mouthfeel. Water makes it richer, tames the heat and enhances both the sweet and spicy character, much like WT101. The finish is long and warm, with cinnamon and oak. This is a very good barrel strength whiskey. The online price of $47 makes this a no-brainer if you can’t get it locally. 4.5/5. Cheers!