As I noted in a previous review, Wild Turkey is a brand with which I don't have much experience. Their products get a lot of positive comments from reviewers I trust though so I've been making a conscious effort to branch out. Being a cask strength whiskey fan, this review from Red White & Bourbon particularly piqued my interest. His write-up is pretty thorough so I'll not regurgitate specifics on the background but the TLDR; pegs Rare Breed as an affordable, readily available, barrel proof whiskey with a solid reputation. Being out of town for the holidays my bourbon options were somewhat limited but when I saw this bottle on the shelf it seemed like a good time to give it a go.
108.2% ABV; No Age Statement (website reports blend of 6, 8, and 12 year); $25 (375ml)
The nose is oak forward and earthy with some dark fruits and slight fusel alcohol until it airs out a bit. The taste has a rich mouthfeel and is heavy on sweet notes - brown sugar, honey, vanilla, and baking spices. The finish starts off with sharp rye spice then ends with a dark sweetness like molasses along with a hefty dose of salty oak. It's warm but not too hot - 107 to 115 proof is my wheelhouse so the ABV is just about perfect for me. On the negative side the taste and finish are a little spice/oak heavy which throws off the balance. The bitter barrel char I didn’t like from the WT101 is noticeable in the finish as well which I would attribute to the younger whiskey in this blend that hasn’t had time to smooth out by more years in the wood.
Thoughts: This is a solid barrel proof whiskey with a healthy combination of sweet, spice, and heat. It has a lot of the characteristics that I liked in the 101 but amped up with a bit more intensity. Compared to other mid-price cask strength bourbons I would put this under (most) Four Roses or (some) Smooth Ambler private selections, Maker's Cask Strength, and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof but equal to or better than the first two batches of Stagg Jr. It is considerably cheaper than all those options though so it is a very good value and worth the extra cost over Wild Turkey 101. With the high spice and heat I'm betting this would make one hell of an old fashioned. I've also heard good things about a home blend of Rare Breed with Bernheim Wheat whiskey so I'll be picking up another bottle soon to give that a try.
Rating: B- / B
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