When I bought my first bottle of WT 101 several years ago, I never would have guessed that Wild Turkey would be such a staple in my whiskey collection. In fact, I now own five different offerings from Wild Turkey and for unique reasons, I love each and every one of them.
In fact, I remember a time when Wild Turkey 101 was considered low quality bourbon and now it has a permanent home on many aficionados shelves.
As I said, I currently have a bottle of it on my shelf. I also have a bottle of Wild Turkey Longbranch that I love. It is a fantastic bourbon in the ~$30 price range. More recently, I picked up a bottle of the Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon. This was my first introduction to a barrel strength whiskey and it didn't disappoint.
After that, I sourced a bottle of the Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit from a friend who works at a liquor store and it has been equally enjoyable.
Thus, it was pretty much a given that I would pick up this bottle of Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye when I saw it at our local Costco. I think I paid about $60 for the bottle and I have since seen articles recommending it and listing the retail price at about $90. Seems as though I got a good deal!
Like the Rare Breed Bourbon, this is a barrel proof whiskey. It clocks in at a whopping 112 proof which means it is about 56.1% alcohol. That equals a whiskey that goes down pretty hot.
I didn't get a picture, but I took my first sips neat from a Glencairn glass so I could really get a feel for the liquid. It went down really nicely and despite the initial burn, it had a fantastic finish that I have come to expect from Wild Turkey products.
There were the definite spice notes you get with a rye, but it also had hits of smoke and a nice caramel flavor that coated your mouth.
I had my second dram in a rocks glass with a single large ice cube. I found that a bit more enjoyable than neat, especially given the fact that this is a barrel proof whiskey.
I have to admit(and I don't know if it is good or bad) that I am getting better at handling whiskey's at this level of proof. I remember a short time ago when I tried my first barrel proof and I almost choked it hit me so hard. That wasn't the case here and I don't expect it to be the case in the future.
I do make a point of drinking fewer drinks in a sitting when I know I am going to be drinking higher proof whiskey. It just makes sense. I don't like the idea of getting crazy and being worthless the next day...
Snagging this bottle closes the door on most of the mid level offerings that Wild Turkey has. They do have a line called "Master's Keep" that I would like to try some day, but I have a feeling the price is going to keep those out of my hands for quite some time. Especially since the majority of those offerings are aged 10 to 17 years.
Actually, the state of Michigan has their liquor book right online, so you can see what the base, licensee and minimum shelf price is of anything that is available in the state. Wild Turkey Master's Keep Toasted Oak has a base price of $160 per bottle. Definitely not something I will be picking up anytime soon.
If you like Rye whiskey's and you happen to come across a bottle of Rare Breed Rye in the $60 to $70 price range, I highly recommend you pick up a bottle. You likely won't be disappointed. It is some really good juice!
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All pictures taken by myself or @mrsbozz