Brian’s Wild Turkey Rare Breed Review:
reviewed 01-September 2021
WILD TURKEY RARE BREED BOURBON REVIEW:
Wild Turkey RB is a good bourbon but not one I need to have as a regular on my shelves. I am not quite sure about Austin Nichols products; they don’t quite tick my bourbon profile boxes. But as expected, it is better than Wild Turkey 101, but there are many bourbons I enjoy more.
WILD TURKEY RARE BREED BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distillery: Wild Turkey / Austin Nichols Distilling Co
Mash Bill: 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel entry proof: 114
Age: 6-, 8-, and 12-year blend
ABV: 58.4% (116.8 Proof)
Price: $44.95 (2021 in Idaho)
To learn more click Rare Breed | Wild Turkey Bourbon.
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
For the evaluation, alternate pours to achieve review amounts were added to Glencairns from a newly opened bottle. The bourbon was then enjoyed neat with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.
Check out her review for this bourbon here!
WILD TURKEY RARE BREED NOSE:
At first Wild Turkey RB offers the nose a light ethanol burn but in subsequent wafts I get herbal cigar tobacco and notes of faint sweet cherries. Then come allspice, cloves, ginger, and rye along with simple syrup and woody caramel poured over roasted nuts. But most prevalent is strong dry oak, hazy toasted barrel char and earthy old leather.
WILD TURKEY RARE BREED PALATE:
Wild Turkey RB offers faint roasted corn, rich tobacco and traces of faint dark cherry. These scant flavors are almost hidden under black pepper and rye, some dark chocolate, burnt sugar, dark molasses and dark toffee over roasted bitter walnut. Like on the nose I get strong dry oak, hazy toasted barrel char, and earthy notes of cigar and leather.
Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Wild Turkey RB gives the tongue and mouth a rough tickle when first held. It quickly turns warm and oily the longer it is held in the mouth. In the Glencairn, long clinging legs return liquid to the tawny pool leaving behind a near dropless ring. While not unbalanced, it is unexpected and wood dominate. Frankly, I expected much more from a “premiere” Austin Nichols product.
WILD TURKEY RARE BREED FINISH:
Wild Turkey RB finishes long and warm, with the lingering flavors and aromas of faint cigar tobacco, strong dry oak and hazy toasted barrel char. There are also subtle notes of pepper and rye, a little burnt sugar over roasted bitter walnut which fade into earthy old leather. All in all the finish mirrors what I tasted and sensed on the nose.
MY RATING: 86/100
Will I buy this whiskey again? No
While Wild Turkey RB is a good bourbon at a good price, it doesn’t quite fit my profile. I would reach around it to grab many others. So if I’m reaching for something else, I won’t need another bottle in the bunker.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.
Click 86/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Wild Turkey.
WHISKEY TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
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