Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Campari Group · Wild Turkey Distillery, Lawrenceburg, KY
Wild Turkey Rare Breed is the bourbon that seasoned drinkers quietly recommend to one another while the rest of the world camps outside liquor stores for allocated bottles. Eddie Russell, who has spent over four decades at the distillery alongside his father Jimmy, blends six-, eight-, and twelve-year-old stocks into a barrel-proof expression that delivers complexity most bourbons only hint at. At roughly fifty dollars, Rare Breed competes with — and frequently outperforms — bottles selling for three and four times its price. The 116.8 proof is not a gimmick; it is the natural strength of the bourbon itself, carrying every nuance of the aging process without dilution. If you have been chasing hype, stop. This is the bottle that was waiting for you all along.
Nose
Dark chocolate and cherry greet you first, followed by waves of vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch. Beneath it all, sweet oak and a whisper of orange peel add complexity that unfolds over several minutes in the glass.
Palate
Viscous and full-bodied, with caramel and vanilla sweetness giving way to a surge of cinnamon spice, charred oak, honey, and a flash of citrus. The rye content delivers a satisfying backbone of pepper and spice that keeps the sweetness honest.
Finish
Long and warming, with maple sugar and toffee tempering the rye spice into a slow fade of leather, tobacco, and lingering orange zest. The barrel proof carries every note to its full conclusion.
- Mash Bill
- 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Cocktail Suggestion
Cocktail — Rare Breed Old Fashioned: Combine 2 oz Wild Turkey Rare Breed with 1 bar spoon of demerara syrup and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters in a mixing glass with ice. Stir for 30 seconds and strain into a rocks glass over a single large ice cube. Express an orange peel over the surface and drop it in.
Food Pairing
Pair with: Slow-smoked beef brisket with a brown sugar and black pepper bark, or a square of dark chocolate with sea salt — the char and sweetness mirror the bourbon’s own oak-driven profile.
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