Wild Turkey 70th Anniversary Release 8 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $75

- 101 Proof

- 8 Years

- Kentucky

It wasn't that long ago that age statements on Wild Turkey products just weren't a thing.  At least not here in the United States.  You could find 8 year and 12 year (and probably some others) in various other parts of the world.  I know I've had a couple of each muled back from Japan for me a few times.  But, here in the United States, age statements on Wild Turkey bottles were saved for their special releases.

I've had the 8-year 101 brought back to me from Japan. I always found it to be quite tasty, and at about $35, I loved the price.  So, I was excited to see this 8 year get released here--much closer in proximity and I did not need to rely on the generosity of others to get it. However, what I wasn't a fan of was the more than double price for what is likely the same whiskey.  I wrote it off to this being a special release, however, and threw caution (and $75) to the wind.

The nose gave off many of those traditional notes I associate with Turkey products.  I got a bit of cherry and some light oak. There was also a great combination of peanut and caramel in the aroma that I loved. It also had a bit of a peppery spice tingling my nose and just a light amount of that Wild Turkey "funk," kind of mossy or dusty. 

The palate hit a lot of these same notes. Right up front this hit on the spicier end of the sweet vs. spice spectrum of bourbons, with an unsweetened cinnamon spice leading the way, as well as a bit of a black pepper spice. It was also very crackery up front, kind of like a wheat cracker.

Behind all that, though, the cherry notes from the nose came through, almost like a cherry cola note, with notes of dark caramel and even root beer at times.  There was a slight vegetal note as well, kind of like that mossy note I got on the nose.

On the finish, that root beer note seemed to come through a bit more heavily, especially after each swallow.  At the back of my throat lingered this root beer and wheat cracker combination that, while it sounds odd, actually really worked and I found the finish to be more enjoyable than expected, particularly given the relatively thin mouthfeel on this whiskey.

Wild Turkey 8 year is good whiskey, whether it comes from Japan or is released here in the states.  I only hope that it becomes more of a mainstay on the shelves and at a cheaper price, and not just some limited release simply because they slapped an age statement on it.

Grade: B

Russell's Reserve Binny's Private Barrel Selection 10-Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $75

- 110 Proof

- 10 Years

- Barrel #: 24-0375

- Kentucky

While in recent years there seems to have been a flood of store picks and private selections, particularly at the big box stores like Binny's, there are certain ones that I will still pick up nearly every time I find them. Russell's Reserve is one of those. While the demand for these picks isn't what it once was, the quality continues to be there, and I keep finding myself impressed with every one I try.

This bottle was no different for me.  Many of these are hovering around 9 years, even 8 years old.  So, I was pretty excited to grab a 10-year bottling (with an extra month thrown in for good measure).  Not that the age really matters, and I would have purchased the bottle regardless, but I'm still pulled in by those double digit age statements.

Right away the nose told me this was going to be good.  I got notes of cherry and caramel, and even a bit of cinnamon spice. It definitely had a cherry cola note, but with a little something extra to tingle my nostrils.  There was a light oakiness as well, along with some chocolate notes, but that cherry cola note really took hold.

And, much to my delight, the flavor carried those notes forward. Right up front were the cherry and caramel notes, even bordering on rich molasses. But, together they gave this distinct cherry cola note, almost like a concentrated version, that was rich and delicious.

It never go to be cloying, though. That's thanks to the cinnamon and even at times peppery spice that not only hit the tip of my tongue right up front but lasted throughout the finish. The light oak I got from the nose was also present, and that also helped keep this from becoming too sweet.  

I don't comment much on viscosity, but this bourbon was just oily and absolutely coated my mouth, lending to an extremely long finish that filled my mouth with cherry cola and chocolate notes, as well as the aforementioned (lawyer talk) cinnamon spice.  

This was one of those whiskeys that just checked every box for me. I know I love Russell's Reserve picks, and that I have a certain predisposition. But I was even shocked at just how much I loved this bottle.  Once it was opened it was gone within days, because I just found myself not wanting anything else until it was all gone.

Grade: A+

Russell's Reserve Binny's Private Selection Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $60

- 110 Proof

- 9 1/2 Years

- Barrel #22-0917; Warehouse B

- Kentucky

I've said it before, many times, but it's worth repeating.  When you find a Russell's Reserve pick on a shelf, grab it! They are just so consistently delicious!  Any time I'm traveling out of state and happen into a liquor store (yes, sometimes I just "happen" to go into one), I make it a point to see what store picks they might have available.  And, if I'm at a larger store where I have options, I then look for my go-to store picks, starting with Russell's Reserve single barrels.

While this wasn't one of those on-the-road finds, it was nonetheless an immediate purchase. On any given day Binny's will have dozens of available store picks to choose from. In fact, they have so many that it can at times result in paralysis by analysis, just trying to pick one to bring home. When they get them, the Russell's picks, however, are not going to be just "sitting there," at least not for long. So I was grateful to get my hands on this bottle. 

On the nose, I immediately got a rich and sweet combination of cinnamon, toffee and cherry notes. It was like some great combination of two of the better selections from an assorted chocolate tin!  The cherry took on kind of a Maraschino note which only added to the richness. I also got notes of wood, but not strong and lacking in any bitterness.

From first sip and throughout, the flavor consistently reminded me of cherry pie. It had the notes of rich, baked cherry, including that Maraschino note I got from the nose. There was certainly a baked goods quality to it as well, lending to the pie crust note that accompanied that cherry. There was even a rich, sweet syrup quality to it that seemingly rounded out that flavor. I couldn't get enough!

Behind that there was a certain cereal flavor to it as well. It mad me think of toasted Cheerios, which is a staple movie-watching snack in my household (and, therefore, may not be very relatable).  There was also a sort of dustiness, perhaps what others think of as the Wild Turkey funk. It's a funk that I've always loved, though, so to me it was welcome, even if only to counter some of the sweetness.

The finish provided some of that cinnamon spice that I was getting on the nose, but most prevalent was that baked cherry note that was consistent throughout. The pie crust note I was getting earlier took on a bit more of a graham cracker note, but it was still pretty delicious.

I have numerous bottles on my shelf that have been open for quite some time, years even. This, however, was not one of those bottles. This bottle lasted less than a week after opening it. I just couldn't help but keep going back to it.

Grade: A-

Russell's Reserve Binny's Private Barrel Select Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $60

- 110 Proof

- 9 Years, 7 Mos.

- Barrel #21-0824

- Kentucky

I think pretty much anything I can say about Russell's Reserve private picks really doesn't need saying. It's simple.  Whenever you see one, buy it. I don't care if I'm in Kentucky hunting things that I can't get in Illinois, or if I'm in some small unknown liquor store in the middle of nowhere. If I see a Russell's Reserve private pick on the shelf, it's coming home with me.

Of course, some are better than others. But, of the handful I've had, all have been excellent bourbons and more than worth the price.  Amazingly, we haven't yet seen the price jump on these that we have on other private picks (looking at you, Four Roses!).  I emphasize the "yet," though, as I feel it's only a matter of time.

As to this particular bottle, on the nose the first note I jotted down was cherry. This was unquestionably cherry forward, but more of a fresh, dark cherry note as opposed to that fake cherry flavor. Behind that was a sweet cola note as well as a bit of cinnamon spice. I also got a light oaky note as well, but this was certainly cherries first and foremost.

Not surprisingly, the cherry note was front and center on the palate. Quite frankly, given how prominent it was on the nose, I don't know how it couldn't be. However, it seemed to be paired well with rich caramel and cinnamon notes, giving it a bit of a dessert or pastry like note. Rich and sweet to be sure, but just a touch of spice.

It had a great viscosity as well, the kind you'd associate with a higher proof bourbon. With that viscosity came a long and flavorful finish full of cloves and sweet tobacco. I even got some rich anise notes and, of course, cherry. There was a nice cinnamon spice that lingered as well, making me salivate for that next sip.

This bourbon was complex, rich, sweet and spicy, and it really hit all the marks for me. I think this was one of the best Russell's Reserve picks I've had, so much so I may have to try to track down another.

Grade: A

Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Binny's Private Select Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $60

- 101 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel #19-0118

- Kentucky

It's been a while since I've had a Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel store pick. It seems that typically these hit the shelves at the same time Russell's Reserve picks are hitting the shelves, and I always go for the latter. After all, those come with a higher proof, not to mention they usually carry an age statement. 

That said, I've always been a Turkey fan, and I've really enjoyed the Kentucky Spirit picks I've had in the past. Those picks came in the old-style bottle with the shape of the fanned out turkey feathers. I always dug that bottle, and I really wish they hadn't changed it. I'm sure it was costly, but comparatively, this new bottle and label design is fairly drab and boring. Luckily, though, that will have absolutely zero effect on how it tastes!

The nose was exactly what I'd expect from a Wild Turkey product. I got a healthy amount of unsweetened cinnamon layered over a light oak note. There was a sweetness to it, but it came from a sort of burnt sugar note. There was also a nice hazelnut note that I really enjoyed, and I found myself keeping my nose to my glass just to keep getting whiffs of that hazelnut.

The flavor was rich and spicy, and seemed to have the kind of depth I'd expect from a much higher proof whiskey. It had a nice heat right up front, not from alcohol, but rather from black pepper and cinnamon spice. There was a nice, rich dark chocolate note that really helped balance that heat, along with a pecan-type nuttiness to add some additional flavor and depth.

As the heat died away, a sweet cola note seemed to take over, along with a nice dark caramel note. While the initial heat seemed to die away, some lingering spice remained throughout, working well with the sweetness. There was also a slight char note that seemed to come in from time to time, just to make things a bit more interesting.

On the finish the spice really came back, leaving a lingering black pepper spice to tickle my tongue and the back of my throat. Here is where the burnt sugar and hazelnut from the nose really came through, leaving a long-lasting sweet hazelnut note coating my mouth.

I don't know why I automatically reach for the Russell's Reserve aside from the reasons noted above. Every time I've had a Kentucky Spirit store pick, I've thoroughly enjoyed it, and this one was no different.  I'm going to have to change my mindset, I think.

Grade: B+

Russell's Reserve Binny's Private Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Barrel No. 21-0888

VITALS:

- $60

- 110 Proof

- 8 1/2 years

- Barrel No. 21-0888

- Warehouse F

- Kentucky

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Russell's Reserve picks are always a must-buy for me whenever I see them!  As far as setting the bar, I've never had one that has been less than what I would consider "really good," and I have had some absolutely phenomenal bottles. I do happen to love Wild Turkey bourbon to start, but for some reason, I have never even come close to a clunker of a store pick on the Russell's Reserves.

It's been a while since Binny's has had some of these come in. I think prior to this one being released, there was one barrel that was released a couple months prior, which I never saw. Prior to that, I have no idea how long it had been. So I jumped at the opportunity of grabbing this one.

On the nose I got a bold, sweet and spicy mix of cinnamon and cherry. It also had some chocolate notes to it as well that, mixed with the alcohol fumes, gave it a sort of cherry cordial note. It also had a richness to it, as I was getting candied pecans, maple syrup, and even a bit of allspice.

The flavor leaned more towards the rich notes from the than the cherry notes. Cinnamon and nutmeg were the most forward notes. Backing those flavors was a creamy and sweet kind of nougat note along with a rich caramel note. Together it absolutely reminded me of a Milky Way candy bar, but without being sugary sweet.

It certainly leaned more sweet than spicy, though, with a little more sweetness than I get out of regular Russell's Reserve. However, there was still a soft and warm cinnamon spice as well as a nutty note that helped keep it balanced and from going over the edge into being too sweet.

The finish was interesting as there it turned to more of a cola flavor. The caramel notes really stuck around for quite a while after each sip. Eventually the cherry from the nose came through on the finish as well, and the finish had a certain Dr. Pepper quality. There was also something bright and almost citrusy on the finish, kind of like a bright orange note.

The best indicator of how much I like a whiskey is how fast I finish the bottle.  Of course there are some that are amazing, but that I hold onto and milk a bit due to rarity or sentimental value. But, for everything else, it's clear that I love a bottle when I finish it within a week of opening it, and that was the case here. I just kept going back to it because it was just so delicious. I only wish I had more!

Grade: A

Russell's Reserve 13 Year Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $75

- 114.8 Proof

- 13 Years

- Kentucky

What can I say about this release? When it was announced, I was very excited at the notion of one of my favorite distilleries putting out a limited release of one of my favorite brands aged for 13 years and bottled at cask strength!  What's not to love about that?  This was one of those few times where I got genuinely excited for a release and I certainly wanted to make sure to get my hands on a bottle.

And yet, I wasn't even aware that it had started hitting shelves in Illinois until my local store manager asked me if I wanted a bottle.  Seemed at the time to be a bit of a silly question, and I'm sure she knew the answer before I asked it. But, I was caught off guard, of course said yes, and excitedly brought the bottle home with me. Somehow, though, I managed enough restraint to not open it that night, but rather to wait a day until I could enjoy it with others.

When I took my first whiff of my glass, I knew I had something good here. I got a decent amount of oak, but certainly nothing overpowering. For me it was the right amount. Along with that I got sweeter notes of caramel and brown sugar, and it was very cookie-like. I also got a slight coffee note, and it came across almost like a mocha.

While the nose was very good, the flavor was even better.  I immediately noticed rich dark cherry notes that seemed to complement the oak that was certainly prevalent (but again, not overbearing by any stretch). I also got sweet vanilla and caramel notes that really worked well with the cherry and oak, and at times I got a burnt sugar note which added just a touch of smokiness to the mix.

On later pours I picked up some other notes, including orange peel, which gave it a bit of an Old Fashioned flavor. I also got notes of pie crust that really made the cherry notes come across as cherry pie filling. The wood notes I was getting earlier somehow seemed to temper what little bitterness they provided and even sweetened up a bit.

This had a great, long finish with a nice oily texture that coated the mouth in flavor for a long time. On the finish I got cherry cola, and later on it seemed more like a Dr. Pepper. There was a bit of black pepper spice, as well as a lingering anise note. 

I really loved everything about this bourbon. It hit on all cylinders for me, providing more wood influence, but only enough to be one of the notes in the mix, rather than the stand-out flavor. Every single flavor seemed to complement the others perfectly.  I really hope that Wild Turkey continues to put out these releases. I will grab any that I can get my hands on.

Grade: A

Russell's Reserve Liquor Barn "Quarantine Select #6" Private Selection Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $55

- 110 Proof

- 9 years

- Warehouse S

- Kentucky

Recently we took a Spring Break trip with the kids down to Louisville. My wife and I have been there a couple times, and, since we had no other Spring Break plans, we decided to do an impromptu family vacation to Louisville. What didn't occur to us, however, is that there's not a whole lot for kids to do in Louisville, and even less for them to do when everything is shut down by a pandemic.

While we struggled to provide entertainment for our kids, I still managed to sneak away one afternoon to get to Liquor Barn and peruse their offerings. After scanning the shelves of their various store picks my eyes landed on a Russell's Reserve pick. I haven't seen any of these around me recently, so without hesitation I made my choice. These are always solid and at a very reasonable price, and even as I was walking to the register one of the clerks gave his unsolicited approval of my choice. So, of the bottles that I brought home with me from that trip, this was the first one I opened.

On the nose I got a lot of cinnamon, more than I can recall ever experiencing from Russell's Reserve. It was almost a fake cinnamon, like Big Red gum. It seemed to mix with a pecan pie, as I was getting the corn syrup, pecans and even pie crust. Between the pie crust and the Big Red, it was really kind of an odd mix.

The flavor, however, didn't strike me as odd at all. In fact, it was quite good! The first thing I noticed was a smooth salted caramel note, and even a butterscotch note, like a Werther's candy.  The cinnamon was there, but it came across a bit like a cinnamon liqueur. I also got a sort of cherry flavor, and I noted that it was like cinnamon candied cherries (not that I've ever had such a thing, but if I did, I'd imagine this is what they'd taste like).

On the finish I got a lot of almond, and with that liqueur note, it came across a lot like amaretto. Interestingly, it was on the finish where the pie notes really started coming through as well. The graham cracker crust note was the flavor that seemed to linger the longest, even after the cinnamon spice had gone away. 

All in all this bourbon just had a bunch of delicious, almost comforting notes. Like a warm pastry topped with a creamy caramel icing and just a touch of cinnamon baked in. Whenever I'd go into my basement to stare at my whiskey shelves for a while trying to decide what to drink that particular night, I found it very hard to pick something else while this bottle was sitting there.  It was yet another excellent Russell's Reserve pick, and I hope to start seeing them more often by me again soon.

Grade: B+

Wild Turkey Master's Keep 17 Year Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $190

- 100 Proof

- 17 Years

- Kentucky

It seems as though the Master's Keep Collection from Wild Turkey has been gathering some steam these past couple years from a bourbon hunting perspective. The first couple releases in this series seemed to sit on the shelf for quite a while. In fact, I was still seeing them up until last year. My guess is that the price has always been a bit prohibitive (that and the fact that it's not a Buffalo Trace product).  Lately though, they've seemed to move pretty quickly. Perhaps it's a matter of the bourbon market catching up with the price of these releases.

When this 17 year bottled in bond bourbon was announced as the next in the Master's Keep line, I was pretty excited. And so were most people on social media. While Cornerstone had some anticipation, this was one that people were actively planning on chasing down. And so, I was quite thrilled when I was able to land one, even at the price. I've loved everything from this line to date, so I wanted to make sure to get this one, hype or not. 

As would be expected with a 17 year old bourbon, the first note I got off the nose was oak. It actually smelled dry, if that makes sense. Perhaps I was picking up on the oak tannins on the nose. However, I also got some sweeter, richer notes of caramel and burnt sugar. It also had a nice peppery spice as well as a bit of orange peel to add some bright bitterness.

Much like the nose, I got a significant amount of wood on the palate. It wasn't over-oaked, though. Rather, that was just the character of this particular bourbon, if that makes sense. I appreciate a certain amount of oak in my bourbon, something to counter some of the sweetness. While this was on the oakier side, it didn't cross that threshold of being too oaky.

Beyond that, it came across as very complex, with a lot of rich, delicious flavors all working with one another. There was a significant amount of dark cherry, as well as some rich amaretto notes. Both these notes played very well with the wood notes. 

I also got coffee notes, adding a somewhat different bitter quality, along with some anise and cinnamon spice. Even the orange peel that I was getting on the nose made its way into the show from time to time, adding a bit of brightness.  It was full of flavors that are associated with sweetness, but without being sweet itself. It even had a vanilla bean undercurrent to it, without taking on that sweetened vanilla note. 

The finish was mostly cinnamon and even a bit of black pepper. Toffee notes also carried through on the finish, along with a touch of leather. It wasn't a very long finish, but it was full of flavor and I didn't wait very long to take each next sip anyway.

I really loved this whiskey. If you're not a fan of oak, you might not like this, and you probably won't want to spend the money on a bottle. However, if you do like a good, oaky bourbon, this might be right up your alley. It was full of rich flavors that seemed to complement that oak note in a way that made this bourbon interesting and ultimately delicious.

Grade: A

Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $60

- 104 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

This is one of those whiskeys that I just never got around to trying, despite knowing that I should. After all, I do love me some Wild Turkey rye. I always have. And yet, despite it being a regular on the shelf and generally available, I never picked up a bottle of the Single Barrel Rye. I honestly have no explanation for it, and it seems silly that I've waited this long to grab a bottle.

So, grab one I did!

The nose on this one was a bit light, and I found I had to spend some time sniffing my glass just to pick up what notes I did. However, what was there was delicious. It had a light caramel note with a dusting of cinnamon. It also had a decent amount of vanilla bean as well as some sweet tobacco leaf. It was all sweet but earthy, and with just a touch of spice to keep it from being dull.

I hate using this word in my notes, and for that reason I almost never do. But, the first thing that I wrote down in my Notes app on my phone was "super smooth." I guess what I mean by that, though, is that despite this coming in at 104 proof, I got absolutely zero alcohol on the palate, allowing every other flavor to come through entirely. I realize that 104 isn't exceptionally high proof, but it's high enough that the alcohol burn would typically come through, masking the flavors even just a bit. Not so here.

Instead I got a mouth full of sweet but rich notes. I got a lot of brown sugar, along with the caramel and cinnamon that I was getting off the nose. However, it had a fatty richness to it, almost a buttery note that mixed with everything. It reminded me of the drizzle or topping on the coffee cake my grandma used to bake every morning when we visited--quite the positive memory (and yes, completely unrelatable, I know). The cinnamon provided just a touch of spice to offset that rich sweetness in a way that was almost perfect.

Perhaps a bit more relatable is that it reminded me of a Werther's caramel candy. It had that silkiness to the caramel flavor so it wasn't all cooked sugar. And it's that flavor that really seemed to stick around. Despite the proof, and perhaps owing to that buttery richness, this whiskey really coated my mouth and the back of my throat after each sip.  That coating left behind those buttery caramel notes in a way that was like eating a hard candy (bringing me right back to that Werther's note). 

Because I'm always buying whiskeys that I've never had before (and I've got tons of options), I typically don't have what people refer to as an every-day drinker. Given the availability of this whiskey, though, if I were to have an every-day drinker, this would probably be it. I loved everything about this whiskey, and I'm kicking myself for not having tried it sooner. And, as a side note, it feels good to give this high of a grade to a whiskey that is pretty widely available. 

Grade: A

Russell's Reserve Warehouse Liquors Private Barrel Selection Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon - No. 20-0007

VITALS:

- $68

- 110 Proof

- 8 yrs., 8 mos.

- Barrel No. 20-0007

- Kentucky

Gene over at Warehouse Liquors in Chicago has a great palate. At least, for the most part, he has tastes and preferences that seem to closely align with mine (which is what makes his palate great, of course!).  While there have been private picks here and there that weren't necessarily my favorite, for the most part I have come to trust his picks knowing that I'm getting something pretty damn good.

And such was the case when I decided to grab this bottle. The price was a little steeper than I'm used to for Russell's Reserve picks. However, it had been a while since Warehouse last got a Russell's pick in. And the past picks that Gene has done have been amazing, so I still didn't hesitate to grab it off the shelf. Quite frankly, I'm so glad I did.

The nose has the hallmarks of what I love in a bourbon, with cinnamon and vanilla dominating. There was a bit of a graham crackery note as well as a cherry pie filling note to it as well to round out that cherry pie note. At times that graham cracker note came across a bit more bready or yeasty, but it didn't really detract from the nose. It just made it smell a bit more like a bakery.

The first thing I noticed when I tasted it was the long, drawn out cinnamon flavor. It seemed to be layered on top of a light anise note. I also got some darker fruit flavors, like raising and fig. It came across immediately as rich and full of flavor, with a lot of complexity.

From the first pour, this bottle seemed to only get better with each sip. That bready yeast note from the nose came through, rounding out that baked goods type flavor. It even had some light oak notes, just enough to counter some of the sweetness and add a bit more complexity and character to the flavor. 

The vanilla from the nose was there, but it wasn't a sweet vanilla. It was more like straight vanilla extract. While the sweetness didn't come from the vanilla, it worked because it found its way in other ways. It had a honey and graham cracker note that provided all the light sweetness the whiskey needed without letting it come across as a categorically "sweet" bourbon. In fact, it had kind of a butter cookie flavor to it on the last few pours that I absolutely loved.

The finish kept that honey and graham cracker note, but it was followed very quickly by a nice black pepper spice that didn't seem to show up until after I finished each sip. This was almost perfect, because it had me immediately diving back into my glass for that next sip.  

Again, while the price was a little steep, this was still worth every penny. Great flavor, great complexity and overall just a great bourbon.  I honestly wish I had another.

Grade: A

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Kentucky Straight Rye

VITALS:
- $60

- 112.2 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

It's been a while since I've been really excited for a new release, but when Wild Turkey announced the release of Rare Breed as a new regular in its line-up, I was practically giddy.  I've made no effort to hide my love for Wild Turkey ryes, and a barrel proof Turkey Rye under the Rare Breed label would have been on my wishlist of whiskeys I want to see produced.  

When it got near the anticipated release date, and when I started seeing people in other parts of the country start posting pictures, that's when I began hounding my local liquor store manager. I'm sure I couldn't have been more annoying, but each time I went in I simply asked, "Did the Rare Breed come in?"  "Not yet" was all I was ever told . . . until I wasn't.  When I finally got a bottle in my hands it was all I could do to wait until I got home to crack it open. I only hoped it would live up to all the hype I had built up in my head.

On the nose I got that familiar cinnamon spice. However, there were also softer notes as well. I also got a sort of buttered toast note, which reminded me of cinnamon sugar toast (a very underrated snack, by the way).  I also got a root beer note that I really liked. The vanilla undertones gave it hints of a root beer float. 

While the vanilla wasn't strong on the nose, it was very present in the flavor. This was one of the more vanilla forward ryes I've had in a long time. The cinnamon spice was also present, and it seemed to hit from front to back. It hit the tip of my tongue immediately with each sip, and it seemed to linger on the long finish.

That cinnamon paired with a honey and graham cracker note to provide a sweet, crackery flavor. There was also a healthy dose of caramel to add to the sweetness and give it a little bit more richness in flavor. This was certainly a sweeter rye, but it never got anywhere near being too sweet. As far as sweeter ryes go, this was right in my wheelhouse.

The vanilla that lingered throughout also stuck around for a long time on the finish, and on later pours seemed to pair with a sweet spearmint note that I couldn't get enough of. It added a light crispness to the whiskey that seemed to round it out.

Overall, I thought Wild Turkey hit this one out of the park. This rye is full of rich and complex flavors but is completely balanced. The high proof is almost not noticeable, and it provides the right balance of sweet and spicy. What's great is that it's not some super rare limited release, and we should be seeing this on shelves semi-regularly.  This is my whiskey of the year so far for 2020, and I need to go get more . . . like now!

Grade: A

Russell's Reserve Binny's Private Barrel Selection Kentucky Straight Bourbon - Barrel #20-0015

VITALS:

- $55

- 110 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel #20-0015

- Kentucky

It feels like it's been a while since Binny's, or any liquor store near me for that matter, got in any Russel's Reserve private picks. I've always had a tendency to gravitate towards them, and I've come across some absolutely stellar bottles. But it seems like for the past year or so we've been in a Russel's picks drought. Luckily for me, though, a couple weeks ago Binny's got in a nice haul of a few different Russel's Reserve barrels as well as some Kentucky Spirit barrels.

A buddy and I each grabbed a different barrel (if only I could have gotten one of each), and he got around to opening his before I could get to mine. His impression was essentially that it was just fine. It was a good whiskey, but not great, nothing to write home to mom about. That was a bit disappointing, and unfortunately I don't know what barrel he had. That being said, that's the best part of single barrels--each one is different. So his initial impressions motivated me to go ahead and crack mine open.

The nose on this was absolutely delicious. Right away I got rich notes of chocolate and cherry. That was balanced by a spicy cinnamon note, kind of like cinnamon sticks. There was also a layer of aroma that smelled a lot like chocolate chip cookies. These flavors all worked so well together, like some new type of amazing Christmas cookie that my wife needs to learn how to make.

The flavor didn't come across quite as bold. In fact, it didn't seem to drink up to its proof, if that makes sense. It wasn't as strong in flavor as I expected it to be given that it was 110 proof. That being said, the flavors were nonetheless delicious, and it had a sweet complexity to it that I really enjoyed.

I got a bunch of the traditional notes of brown sugar and caramel. Neither one was really dominant enough to be bomb-worthy (i.e. a "caramel bomb" as the kids on the internet would say). It actually had a really good balance of both flavors. 

What was missing, though, was the spice. I've become used to a certain level of spice in my Turkey products, at least in their bourbons certainly. Here, however, while there was a slight cinnamon flavor and spicy tingle, it just wasn't very strong. This came across as more of a sweeter bourbon, a profile which I would liken to a wheated bourbon, with any heat coming solely on the finish.

This was certainly a sweeter, dessert-like bourbon. It had this buttery quality to it, not in texture but in flavor, that was a lot like buttercream frosting. There was a healthy-enough dose of vanilla to make this work really well, and with the brown sugar seemed to come across like a frosted chocolate chip cookie (like those giant cookies you used to walk past at the mall).

This bottle was interesting. I expected a certain profile going in, and found that it wasn't at all what I expected. However, it proved to be a very tasty bourbon, and one certainly on the sweeter end. While I tend to lean more towards a spicier bourbon, this one was still really good, and I found myself working my way through the bottle at a pretty rapid rate. It certainly keeps me interested in finding more Russel's private picks.

Grade: B+

Wild Turkey Master's Keep Cornerstone Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:
- $170
- 109 Proof
- 9 yrs and 11 yrs
- Kentucky

It's not often that a new product is coming on the market and I get into a "have to have it" mode. I tend to be more of an opportunistic bourbon purchaser, rather than actively hunting for particular bottles. However, when I read that Wild Turkey was doing a rye for their next Master's Keep release, I knew I had to get my hands on one. So, I put my feelers out there, and let every store owner and manager know that I wanted to get my hands on one once it came out.

One day I did get that call from my local store manager, letting me know that it came in and she had set one aside for me. At the time I didn't realize just how pricey it would be, or that the price would cause this bottle to be more available than my efforts had warranted. But, I got my hands on one nonetheless, so I was happy, and I only hoped that the flavor would live up to the very steep price.

On the nose I got a lot of rich, creamy caramel. I also got some black pepper spice as well as a light cinnamon note. There was also a sort of burnt sugar note, perhaps like caramel with a bit of char. At first the nose came across as very sweet and dessert-like. Later on, however, the spiciness seemed to come through more, and I felt the black pepper became more noticeable.

When I took my first sip, the fist thing I noticed was the thick, oily viscosity that this whiskey had--a sign of good things to come. Immediately up front the tip and sides of my tongue where hit with spicy cinnamon and cloves that immediately made my mouth water. Of course, the caramel that dominated the nose was prevalent throughout as well.

It wasn't entirely a dessert-like whiskey, though. There was a bit of an old fashioned note to it, as I got some orange peel, some bitter tanins and some luxardo cherry notes. That mix didn't overwhelm, but it certainly made for an interesting and delicious pour.

Towards the end, it did seem to sweeten up a bit, but the rye spice seemed to temper it and keep it from ever getting too sweet. I got a sort of a molasses note that reminded me a bit of oatmeal cookie. However, as sweet as it seemed, it was always balanced by cinnamon and black pepper spices, as well as some flavor from the barrel, like the char and tanins. It all seemed to work perfectly to give a perfect mix, even despite that it trended sweeter than I normally prefer in a rye.

In the end, with the price tag placed on this whiskey, the question is, "Is it worth it?" Although it was very pricey and hard to justify on that objective fact alone, I found this to be one of the best whiskeys I've ever had, and for that reason, I, personally, did not regret my purchase. The fact of the matter is, regardless of price, this is a great rye!

Grade: A+

Russell's Reserve 6 Year Kentucky Straight Rye

VITALS:
- $45
- 90 Proof
- 6 years
- Kentucky

There are still so many staples or regularly available bottles on the shelf that I, for one reason or another, just haven't gotten around to trying. I've made it a point lately to pick up some of those bottles to supplement the ever-growing supply of store picks that I feel like I'm seeing everywhere now. This is one of those bottles.

I actually love Wild Turkey rye. I know this, and yet just now got around to grabbing this bottle. In all fairness, I've tried the entire lineup, but just hadn't purchased a bottle of this (nor the single barrel). That's a mistake that is not likely to be repeated, because, as I may have mentioned, I love Wild Turkey rye.

The nose is very cinnamon forward, with some light oak tones. Interestingly, I noticed some red wine notes as well, which was a bit unexpected. I got light, bitter tanins along with dark fruits, like plum or blackberry. This rye smelled very rich, particularly for a 90 proof whiskey.

The flavor was not nearly as strong or rich as the nose came across. Rather, the flavor came across softly and delicately. It seemed a lot more grain forward, as I got a little bit of a cornbread note. It also had some bready qualities, adding in some wheat and yeast flavors. This was all sweetened up by a dark honey flavor.

The rye spice was certainly there, though, even if a bit more subtle than I'd prefer. The cinnamon spice comes through well from front to back, and manages to linger pretty well on the finish. I also got that somewhat traditional dill note from the rye as well, and all this seemed to sit on top of a thin layer of caramel. The flavors were all somewhat fleeting, however.

The wine notes that I got on the nose did not make their way into the flavor. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. What was here, though was a classic, albeit sweeter rye flavor profile. It had a nice balance of sweet and heat, along with a bit more cereal-forward flavor than I usually get in a rye. There was nothing here that blew my mind or anything, but it's an absolutely solid, regularly available, everyday rye whiskey.

Grade: B+

W.B. Saffell Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

VITALS:

- $50 (375 ml)

- 107 Proof

- NAS
- Batch No. 1

- Kentucky

One thing I love about these little bottles is the way they feel in your hand. It makes you want to just shotgun the whole thing (as bad of an idea as that may be). They just feel good in your hand. The downside, of course, is how little liquid they hold. It’s like they hold half the amount of whiskey as a regular bottle! I really have a hard time getting on board with that. Bigger is always better.

That being said, I have heard really good things about this latest release in the Whiskey Barons collection coming out of Wild Turkey. It’s my understanding the Russells didn’t have a hand in the first two releases, but that they did have a hand in this one. Perhaps that’s what did the trick, I don’t know. But, I certainly wanted to find out for myself just how good this one is.

The nose on this one was really pungent, with strong notes of anise along with a peppery spice that provided a nice bite. I also got some dark cherry. A certain amount of tannic wood notes came through as well, which at times came across as more of a walnut note. It kind of smelled like what I’d expect Nick Offerman to smell like if he were a bourbon guy.

Interestingly, I found the flavor to be quite different from the nose. Instead of dark cherry and wood tones, I got something bright on the flavor, like fresh peach. It was sweet and even a bit tangy. It was balanced out by a kind of earthy, tea-like flavor as well.

It was on the sweeter side, but that sweetness was balanced out by a nice cinnamon spice (this is, after all, a Wild Turkey product), as well as the tangy flavor from that peach note. The pepper spices that were intermingled helped balance out that sweetness as well.

What did come through from the nose was that walnut note. This flavor was present throughout, from first pour to last and from front to back. It wasn’t strong, but it was always there. On later pours I noticed some orange peel or burnt orange notes. Those notes, along with everything else this had going on, seemed to blend into a sort of walnut Old Fashioned flavor, like a more earthy, less sweet version of the cocktail. I found I really liked it.

This is a product I certainly wouldn’t mind grabbing some more of. While it didn’t blow me away, it certainly would be the kind of whiskey that I would, from time to time, be in the mood for. It was very good, and I could see myself at some point down the road yearning specifically for another pour of this.

Grade: B+

Russell's Reserve Binny's Private Selecting Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon - Barrel #19-0035

VITALS:
- $54
- 110 Proof
- NAS
- Barrel #19-0035
- Kentucky

I do love Russel's Reserve bourbon, and lately I've managed to get some fantastic private picks, including a couple recent picks by Warehouse Liquors in Chicago and one from the last go-round at Binny's. This time around Binny's managed to get a bunch in, and I, once again, felt compelled to at least try one of them.

I got a few recommendations, and I read through the tasting notes on the approximately eight or so different barrels, that seemed to offer everything from woody to robust to sweet to spicy to fruity. It was nearly impossible to choose, so I just picked one in the middle, and Barrel #19-0035, heralding from the fourth floor of Rickhouse CN A, is what I got.

The nose was delicious and traditional. It gave off warm aromas of cinnamon and caramel, as well as a light chocolate flavor. It had a lot of wood on the nose, and even a bit of tobacco leaf, something I find more in Irish whiskeys than American whiskeys.  Also noticeable, however, was the health dose of alcohol on the nose. Frequently that will dissipate after the first pour or two, but with this one it remained pretty consistent through to the bottom of the bottle.

As to flavor, the very first thing that I noticed on the tip of my tongue was this great, salty-sweet combination that was like salted caramel. In fact, that salted caramel flavor seemed to dominate throughout this bottle.  All other flavors were really only playing second fiddle.

I never got the wood from the nose, or really anything else to balance out the sweetness. I got a bit of a raisin note, making it taste almost like a raisin cookie. However, that sweet caramel really overshadowed any of the more fruity, earthy or savory notes that might have been there.

On the finish, it had a little bit of spice to cut through the sweetness, with some nice, warm cinnamon at the end and a good, long Kentucky hug.  Even with that, however, I found myself smacking my lips after every sip, with that sticky caramel flavor just lingering.

As I'm writing this out, I'm realizing that for some palates, this might be exactly what people want in a bourbon. It actually sounds delicious! However, it was a bit too sweet and unbalanced for me, and it just seemed to get sweeter as it went. If it had a bit more influence from the wood, or if the spice was a little bit more forward, or if those dark fruits took a more prominent role, I feel like this would have been outstanding.

All in all, this was a very good barrel, it just didn't quite approach greatness for me.

Grade: B

Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky Straight Rye

VITALS:
- $45 (1 Liter)
- 101 Proof
- NAS
- Kentucky

I've always felt I've owed it to myself to give Wild Turkey 101 Rye a try. Being the rye lover that I am, and given that I really like other Turkey Ryes, not to mention that I'm a fan of Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon, it just seemed like a glaring gap in the whiskeys I've tried.  So, I added it to my list and was going to make it a point to pick up a bottle.

And I could have sworn that this stuff was always on the shelf, that it'd be easy to find. But, that provided not to be the case.  My usual haunts did not seem to ever carry it. Places were I know I had seen it before were suddenly out. It was as though I made the conscious decision to finally pick up a bottle at the beginning of a WT 101 Rye drought.  The regular Wild Turkey rye was more than available, but by this point my mind was set.  Luckily for me, it made its way back, and this time I didn't hesitate to grab my bottle.

On the nose I got a heavy dose of cinnamon, which was not altogether unexpected.  I figured given that Wild Turkey bourbon is generally on the spicier side, I could expect no less, if not a whole bunch more, from their rye. So far it was not disappointing. I also got some light wood notes, kind of a saw dust quality. That woody quality was well balanced by a sweet caramel note, however. Finally, I noticed a bit of pine, which on later pours seemed to be even more pronounced.

As far as the flavor goes, this one really hit all the right notes for me in a rye. It had the nice spicy cinnamon layered over rich vanilla.  The pine from the nose also came through in the flavor, but not in any obtrusive fashion, rather just enough to notice it's there.

On the back end, a bit of mint seemed to make its way through, along with a Big Red type cinnamon note that lingered for a long while at the back of my throat.  The spicy character really lead the way from beginning to end with this one.

What really drove it home for me on this one, though, was the strong, underlying caramel note throughout each sip from front to back. It was the kind of smooth, creamy caramel note that I usually associate with a really good bourbon and that I don't always get in a rye. But here, that caramel note was prevalent from the tip of my tongue to the back of my throat, and it was delicious, working well wit the cinnamon, the pine, and even the mint in a weird way.

Now don't get me wrong, I realize this review was full of nothing but love, and this is not the greatest rye I've ever put to my lips. However, this review can be distilled down to this -- this is a really good rye that is well worth the price (particularly for a liter), will deliver on spice, and will remain consistent. While I don't repeat bottles too often, this is one that I will most certainly buy again to keep on hand.

Grade: B+

Russel's Reserve Binny's Private Selection Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $60
- 110 Proof
- NAS
- Barrel #18-0137
- Kentucky

I haven't ever had a private selection of Russel's Reserve before. I've had a private selection of Kentucky Spirit, but for whatever reason I never grabbed one of these. Even this one was a Christmas gift from my wife. I don't know why, but I just never grabbed one off the shelf whenever I saw one.  That has likely changed going forward, though.

First of all, as I've said repeatedly in this blog, I love free whiskey! This is no exception. However, I always do my best to not let that skew my reviews.

The nose was certainly sweeter than other Wild Turkey products I've had. It almost had a maple syrup and vanilla quality to it, but without being cloyingly sweet if that makes sense. Perhaps it's because that sweet quality on the nose was balanced out a bit by some dark cherry tartness. Also, I've always found Wild Turkey products to have a certain funk to them, something I've always noticed on the nose. Not the case here.

The flavor had a sweetness to match the nose. It wasn't so maple syrup flavored, but rather a cinnamon and brown sugar flavor. It also had a slight chocolate flavor that seemed to add a bit of smoothness to round out that dessert-like profile.

This was one of those whiskeys where I noticed something different with nearly every pour. A couple times I poured a glass and I got a distinct sugar cookie flavor. As I thought about it more, I decided that it was more accurately a snicker-doodle flavor, like a sugar cookie but with some cinnamon and a slight bit of tang to it.

I also felt at points that it had a spiced baked apple pie note going on. The flavor was fleeting, but it was distinct and unavoidable. Even the final pours of this had a bit of a maraschino cherry flavor to them. They were sweet, but always had that bite to them to again balance out that flavor.

While this bottle didn't exactly blow me away, what it did provide was a lot of character, complexity, and a veritable cornucopia of flavors that seemed to change with each pour. In that sense, this was one of the more fun bottles I've enjoyed in quite some time. I can't tell you the last time I got snicker-doodle, that specific flavor, in a whiskey, but here it was. This was a very good bottle, and I will certainly make it a point to try other private select Russel's Reserve going forward. After all, I've never really had any good reason not to in the first place.

Grade: B+

Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Warehouse Liquors Private Selection Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $60
- 101 Proof
- NAS
- Barrel No. 091
- Kentucky

So, typically I'll post a picture of my empty bottle when I'm done with one. After all, I don't review anything until I've at least given it a bottle's worth of a try, rather than just a single pour. With this particular bottle, however, due to a late night on my front porch with my neighbors, the empty seems to have gone missing. Odds are it ended up in my neighbor's recycling bin as part of our late night clean up efforts. In any event, I just don't have my typical empty bottle picture for this post. So, I used a nice picture of a half empty bottle I found on the internet.

I've never had Kentucky Spirit before, so maybe it's unfair that my first bottle is a store pick. That being said, perhaps I ran the risk of loving it more than necessary, as Warehouse Liquors has made some absolutely incredible private picks in the past. Nonetheless, having tried most all of the regulars from Wild Turkey, I was excited to finally give this one a go.

This whiskey smells great. It has a bunch of cinnamon on top of a consistent layer of vanilla. However, it has that familiar Wild Turkey funk to it, a slightly musty or tobacco flavored scent to it that is familiar and inviting. Although I've only had the cereal a couple times, I couldn't help but be reminded of Cinnamon Frosted Flakes with each whiff I took.

On the palate, in addition to the cinnamon and vanilla that I expected, the first flavor I noticed was a distinct almond flavor, like an amaretto liquor. That flavor seemed to go perfectly with the cinnamon to give this whiskey a nice bite, different from the alcohol bite you get from higher proof whiskeys. This was more of a tangy bite.  It also had a bit of a piney quality that added a bit of earthiness to it, the kind of earthiness I tend to associate with Wild Turkey products.

The cinnamon is also not the typical sharp cinnamon of a rye or even a high rye bourbon. Even that had a certain dank or musty quality to it. Nonetheless, overall this is a sweeter product than most Wild Turkey products I've had. Despite all the earthy qualities, it also has a sweet, honey like quality to it that seemed to balance everything out with the perfect amount of sweet, spicy and savory in each sip.

Once again Warehouse Liquors made a fantastic pick, and I only wish I had more. This whiskey ran the gamut of flavors, and yet it did so on a very well-balanced manner.  I only wish I had my empty bottle shot as a memento.

Grade: A-