Wild Turkey Kentucky Rye Whiskey 70 cl, 40.5% ABV - Cocktail Whiskey

Product Information

High West is a great example of distillery that built itself up via sourced whiskey, but always sought to make that whiskey their own by transforming it in some way before it was released to the public. Big black pepper spiciness announces the presence of the rye, with additional notes of apple and rye bread, supported by hints of maple sweetness. Operating from an old dairy in Isokyro, Kyro also produces an array of gins, plus cream liqueur and experimental small batch expressions.

Wild Turkey 101 Rye (2021) – Rare Bird 101 Wild Turkey 101 Rye (2021) – Rare Bird 101

While this isn’t a unique characteristic for 2021 (the new distillate has likely played a significant role since 2017), it’s fascinating to study the rye profile’s progression annually. Gear Patrol participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Value” is notoriously hard to define, given that every consumer has their own idea of what constitutes good value, and what they’re willing to pay for various products. At first sip, the intensity of its proof immediately fills my throat and nose with hardy grain and spice. It has a spicy complexity on the palate, with lots of anise, dill, cinnamon and herbal/vegetal notes, supported by slightly richer tones of cocoa and vanilla.And with all the time the whiskey has been sitting in the bottle and the 30 minutes in the glass, there isn’t much heat either. Drinkers who have been around the scene for a long time may find it difficult to accept that any of the whiskeys around right now constitute a great value. Despite the proof point, it’s actually quite an engaging and approachable rye for neat drinking as well, with lovely layered flavors of vanilla and orchard fruits.

Rare Breed: barrel proof bourbon whiskey | Wild Turkey Rare Breed: barrel proof bourbon whiskey | Wild Turkey

Mike Veach, a Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame inductee and bourbon history authority, put it best in a review of the brand's most famous bottle, 101: "For those wanting to taste whiskey that tastes the way it did in their grandfather’s time, Wild Turkey 101 is as close as you can find in the market today. While it’s not my favorite rye by a long shot, it at least convincingly justifies the consideration of this grain as more than a component of the Wild Turkey bourbon mash bill. These amazing products are unfortunately what this poor guy is always going to be measured against and while it might seem a bit unfair, that’s just the way the barrel tumbles.A bit off balanced with flavors coming and going and sweet and savory being at odds with each other. There are definitely whiskey drinkers that still have a lot of love for Wild Turkey 101 Rye, but it doesn’t appear that the company shares in that same intensity for it right now. One of the biggest spirits companies in America, the Sazerac Company was established during the mid 1800s after founder Thomas H. Flavor-wise, this is a fruit forward rye, with appealing notes of stone fruit and orangey citrus mixing with traditional Buffalo Trace bourbon tones of caramel and vanilla. David Jennings, author of American Spirit , a book that covers Wild Turkey "from Ripy to Russell" (the Ripys ran the show before the Russells took over in the 1950s), characterizes it as a kick, and attributes it to the distillers long-time use of a mysterious yeast strain.

rye whiskey brands to drink in 2022 | The Independent Best rye whiskey brands to drink in 2022 | The Independent

It starts sweet followed by a small surge of herbal and vegetal notes, with the oak remaining generally subdued. Interestingly, two different mash bills (“high rye” and “low rye”) are blended and diluted to proof with limestone filtered spring water. It went from being widely available, to allocated, to only available in bars and restaurants, to being found only as a much more expensive 1 liter only bottle.Strangely fruity nose that starts out with orchard fruit, vanilla, sugary tropical fruit and caramel. While this is far from Wild Turkey’s first attempt at rye whiskey, for some reason this is the first time they have released it under the Rare Breed label. While originally released years ago, Wild Turkey has struggled to keep it on shelves over the years. In fact, the only Wild Turkey whiskey that regularly sells for more than its makers value is the old stuff. For me, both red and green WT101 bottles are simple and straightforward, relaxed and reliable – they should be on everybody’s list of everyday go-tos.