Rare Breed Bourbon Barrel Proof
Wild Turkey · Wild Turkey Distillery
This is barrel proof bourbon that doesn't require an apology or a chaser. The blending of multiple age stocks by Eddie Russell creates a complexity that single-barrel releases often reach for and miss. An anchor bottle for any serious bourbon shelf.
Kit Aromas
Nose
A rush of toasted brown sugar and worn leather gives way to ripe cherry and charred oak. Underneath, there's a thread of orange peel and vanilla custard that keeps appearing with each return to the glass.
Palate
Full-bodied and viscous without being punishing. Caramel corn, baking spice, and toasted pecan lead, followed by a dark chocolate mid-palate that transitions into rye-driven pepper. Water opens up a surprising floral note.
Finish
Long and warming, with charred oak, tobacco leaf, and a final pulse of butterscotch that lingers through the exhale.
- Mash Bill
- 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
- Barrel Type
- New American White Oak, #4 Alligator Char
- Bottled in Bond
- No
- Single Barrel
- No
- Wheated
- No
Cocktail Suggestion
Thunderclap Old Fashioned — 2 oz Rare Breed Bourbon · 0.25 oz demerara syrup · 2 dashes Angostura bitters · 1 dash orange bitters · Stir over ice, strain into rocks glass with a large cube, express orange peel.
Food Pairing
The charred bark and peppery fat of slow-smoked brisket finished with a coffee-chili rub mirrors the bourbon's layered intensity, while the meat's richness tames the barrel proof heat.
Blended by fourth-generation master distiller Eddie Russell at the iconic limestone-cliff distillery overlooking the Kentucky River, Rare Breed has been Wild Turkey's uncut, unfiltered flagship since 1991.
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