Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof Bourbon

How many times has it happened to you that you keep meaning to try a whisky but the bottle is always there? It's never really gone from the shelves, so you figure, yeah, yeah, I'd like to try that, but it's always around, so I should probably buy that one instead. And you take it for granted that you'll always be able to get your hands on the one you've just passed up. So you buy the allocated bottle, the limited edition bottle, the store pick that you know won't hang around for long. Even if you have suspicions that the ubiquitous bottle is probably superior. Until I bought this bottle, there were two major blind spots with which this applied for me: Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon (I've had the Rare Breed Rye because that was in short supply and disappeared around here, so I had to get it when it was there and picked it up quick) and Pikesville Rye, which I've heard isn't readily available in lots of markets but seems to be readily available around here. And I need to get to Pikesville, but here I'm finally hitting up the Rare Breed Bourbon, and I'm here to report that this bourbon is Flava Flav's opposite: believe the hype. This is lovely stuff at $46.99. The nose is very sweet, caramel corn and vanilla are the most prominent aromas with a light touch of orange peel and maybe the slightest touch of mint in the background. On the palate, I'm getting more citrus and caramel, the citrus having a candied feel, with a nice hit of smooth oak. At 116 proof, it's just at the upper threshold of what I'm willing to enjoy neat. Hell, even my wife, when she sipped it, didn't complain about the burn, and she prefers 100 proof as the upper range of what she usually tolerate, so it drinks much easier than its proof would suggest. The finish is rich and flavorful with the sweet fading into the lightest touch of spice. The only problem I can see with the widely available bottle is there's not really all that much new or unique you can say about it. It's really meant more to be enjoyed than picked apart and reviewed. Even saying that about it sounds like I'm saying something that someone else has already said. Overall, given how available it is, I feel like this is one I should stock up on at some point in case it actually starts to disappear from shelves. Never hurts to have a bottle or four stashed in the cupboard where I keep my collection. Now, it's really about time I get around to buying that bottle of Pikesville I've always intended to get to, isn't it?

First time tasting. The bottle was somewhat awkward to pour out of. That’s the worst part about this. The rest is a diamond in the rough that could plausibly cost 50% more than it actually cost. The nose is sour apple cider with some warm spicy cinnamon. A first sip hits with more sweet fall flavors (apple, caramel, smokey honey) plus deep toffee on the back of your tongue. Aftertaste has a sweet woody and rich yam mix. A little water actually brings out a more sour maple that I’m not getting without the water. This is smooth and very easy drinking. After a few sips I’m finally getting a sweet warm burn after giving it a long chew. All the way good through the whole experience. Drinks like it’s been proofed down a lot more. Excellent. Not perfect but it’s close.

Caramel, baking spice, viscous finish

Nose: like there’s some age, can smell the proof (burns the nose!) Palate: woody on the first rip, some sweetness (maybe powdered sugar), but wet leaves/earth on the back Finish: long and warm, but not burning Overall: some good legs on this pour with dark color, solid bottle to have on your shelf at all times