![]() Cinnamon and clove spices remain but round out the whole finish perfectly. There is also a savory component that I liken to salted caramel. There’s even a little bit of mint in there too.įinish: A pleasant finish of oak, tobacco spice and sweetness. Heat from the rye (and proof) are easy to manage with notes of red pepper flakes ginger root allspice and cinnamon. Palate: Caramel sauce blends nicely with the flavors of peanut brittle while Flan shows off its vanilla/custard creaminess. There’s even a bit of citrus and stone fruits that can be found if your nose hangs around in the glass long enough. I get creamy vanilla cream that contrasts nicely with some oak and toasty grains. There’s a good amount of that classic Wild Turkey rye spice as well which is noticeable but not overbearing. Nose: Scents of roasted nuts, cinnamon and toffee leave a great initial impression. So what did I think of Rare Breed? Here are my notes. I’m sure that many would disagree, but Rare Breed doesn’t command the price of the previous 3 I mentioned and it is generally found on the same level shelf as the latter ones I mentioned. While many drinkers may directly compare Rare Breed to Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Bookers or Stagg Jr, I personally find it to be more in competition with the likes of Old Ezra Barrel Strength 7 Year, Belle Meade Reserve, Knob Creek Single Barrel, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and Baker’s. This means that Wild Turkey can’t rest on its laurels or else it will lose significant ground in such overcrowded landscape. ![]() Modern day barrel proof bourbons (or those that are very close to it) are more common than they once were. The proof remains low because Wild Turkey barrels their bourbons at 115 proof which is about 10 proof points lower than almost all of the other major Kentucky distilleries. The most recent batch also supposedly contains a mix of 6, 8 and 12 year old barrels. However, he must have got his way with the bean counters at Campari enough to have them release a non-chill filtered version of Rare Breed that wears a unique darkened label and is sold at Duty-Free shops. Of note, all Rare Breed sold in the US has been chill filtered, a process that Jimmy Russell loathes. With each batch, the profile may change a bit but the overall character remains. The current iteration of Rare Breed has been around since 2017 wearing the same proof (116.8) and sporting the same label/bottle shape. Every few years or so, Rare Breed changes the look of the bottle and label and even gets a new proof. It never carried an age statement but is generally assumed to be as old as the current iteration of Wild Turkey 101. Released in 1991, Rare Breed was supposed to showcase what barrel proof Wild Turkey would taste like. So whether Wild Turkey fans want to believe it or not, it was probably because of Booker Noe that we even have Rare Breed in the first place. Also worth noting: “gentlemen” did not become feral animals while drinking it (well, maybe a few did). ![]() Jackie Zykan of Old Forester said it best when she explained that all bourbon brands shunned the idea of bottling their bourbons at barrel strength because it was deemed irresponsible on the part of the distillery and not what a gentleman would prefer to drink in good company.īut times began to change and Booker Noe showed that there was a demand for barrel proof bourbon when he released his first batch of Booker’s in 1988. Wild Turkey’s Rare Breed was one of the original gangsters of barrel proof bourbons back at a time when barrel proof bourbons weren’t really a thing. Thank goodness it looks like it’s not going anywhere soon. Of course enthusiasts of the brand would rather drink Malort straight from the bottle rather than see WTRB disappear from the shelves. The bottle and label are somewhat generic to look at which would partly explain why it’s always available. To the casual drinker, Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon is just another bottle that they can reliably find on the shelf of most liquor stores. ![]() When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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