Wild Turkey Rye 101

A sweet, oily rye. I get rye grain and a bit of licorice on the nose. It's got a sweet and spicy scent. It's got grassy, herby, rye flavor, some moderate spice, which is balanced by a sweet syrupy body. It's not too hot. It's got some heat - I get ground ginger or black pepper. It's got an herbal somewhat astringent finish. It's a very competent rye for the $20-30 price range. It's better than most entrants in this range and better than a fair number that are 2-3x this price, provided that you like heavier ryes. I think I prefer it to Russell's Reserve rye, but not Russell's Reserve single barrel. It's definitely hotter, but not as sophisticated. Rare Breed rye blows it out of the water, but it does that with most things under $100.

Watching the Instragram scroll today, a Wild Turkey advert caught my eye. Today is 101 day, right? As in 10/1. It was effective. For a moment, I contemplated heading out to buy a bottle of the 101 bourbon before remembering that I already have a bottle of the 101 Rye opened. And obviously this fits the bill as well. (Plus the remainder of this month's bourbon budget is earmarked for Maker's BRT01 and BRT02, which have both reached the western region of our state but haven't quite gotten to the eastern shores yet. They'll get here, however, and when they do, that's what I have my money on. So, the 101 bourbon doesn't fit the budget.) Which is fine. I like the 101 bourbon just fine, but I think I've only ever bought it in the 1.75 L size. Why is that? Well, because it's a budget bourbon you're generally drinking on ice or as a mixer. It's fine on its own, but that's it: fine. I'd likely give it a quarter star less than the 101 rye, and if I have the choice, in that price range, I go for Old Tub. But that can also be simply because I like rye more than I like bourbon. Now the Rare Breed Rye, at $60, is awesome, and I actually picked up another bottle of that earlier this month when I saw it was back in stock. This is the toned down version of that, the baby brother. Much of the scents and aromas are the same, only a tad bit muted. The nose is rich with rye spice and a hint of mint and eucalyptus. On the palate you get the bergamot with some caramel coming through, and the finish, while not necessarily long like the Rare Breed is still tangy and peppery. At $22.99 on sale, this is a good choice much in the same way the 101 bourbon is a good choice. Not bad for a mixer or on ice and acceptable as a sipper. Now have at it with the 101 today. Now that I mention it, I know that a lot of you are going to want to. Wow, is that the shortest review I've written yet? It just might be...

Spices peppery with sweetness

Great rye for price