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The big brother of a 101 proof champion, Wild Turkey Rare Breed can be consistently found on must-try lists and is known for its quality while being readily available. It is crafted in small batches as a unique marriage of Wild Turkey 6, 8, and 12-year-old stocks to hit a specified flavor profile and 116.8 proof point. No water necessary! To create this balanced flavor profile, different ages of whiskey are taken from each level of the rick house: 6 year from the top floors, 8 year from the middle floors, and 12 year from the bottom levels. This is because whiskey at the higher levels sees more temperature change which increases flavor extraction and proof while the lower floors will age more slowly and see a decrease in proof. The extent of various flavoring compounds within the barrels will also change with these differences in temperature, and blending them allows for the curation of a more consistent flavor profile over time.
🧪Proof: 116.8 Proof, 58.3% Alcohol by Volume
🎨Color: R5 getting close to R6 - a rich caramel brown
🥔Mash Bill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley. A number 4 alligator char is used on all Wild Turkey barrels as standard. It is speculated that the same yeast is used in both Wild Turkey's bourbon mash and rye mash. Barrel entry proof has been 115 since around 2006, so all current generation Rare Breed will reflect accordingly (older Turkey was barreled at 107 proof through 2004 and then 110 proof until 2006).
👃Nose: Soft and welcoming, honey and figs with fresh growth in spring
😜Palate: Medium thickness bordering on creamy, oak by the truckload, some vanilla and black pepper, a touch of nuttiness mid palate (unroasted pecan). What I really love about this bottle is how it scales. Take a small sip and you get the full spectrum of flavor, albeit at a pianissimo. Take a generous chew and it blossoms into a fully formed forte. It has enough ooomf to it that you can belief it is barrel proof, but is poised and developed enough to make the heat quite pleasant. Think we're seeing the impact of the older blend components to produce that effect.
💦Finish: Relatively long, a warm wash of spice and brown sugar. Quite pleasant.
🏆 Overall: 8/10 - Reliable Excellence- It's Always on my Shelf - Between the price and strong flavor profile, there really isn't any reason to NOT have this bottle on hand. To those who like the corn, nut and spice Turkey profile, Rare Breed delivers in spades. Relatively easy drinking for the proof, I really love how you can take large mouthfuls of the juice and fully chew out the flavors. So many times with barrel proofs I find myself measuring my sips to avoid gagging from ethanol, but not with this bottle!
1/2 Bottle update: With a little oxidation, this bottle really comes into its own. The palate nuttiness matures into a roast chestnut and sweet black tea combo that is quite lovely. Blinded this with a Knob Creek Single Barrel and Jack Daniel's Single Barrel and it came away the winner.
⚖️Rating Scale:
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume it by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws | Struggle to get through the bottle
4 | Serviceable | Mixing or ice recommended.
5 | Good | Drinkable Neat | An agreeable dram indeed.
6 | Very Good | Any flaws offset by interesting flavors | A cut above.
7 | Great | You find yourself reaching for this one often | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Serve to Impress Guests | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite | You guard this bottle jealously.
10 | Perfect | You didn't think anything could be this good | A clear champion.