However, at 91 proof, the flavor just comes across as slightly pedestrian. Diamond Anniversary is well balanced with exactly what one would expect from a longer-aged Wild Turkey product. The finish is light and dry, with seasoned wood and spice notes. Some bitter seasoned oak notes arrives at the mid-palate and joins with sweet tobacco notes. Palate: Pepper and vanilla notes lead off the front of the palate and include light citrus. Nose: Seasoned oak and caramelized sugar dominate the nose and some light notes of vanilla make an appearance beneath. Similar to Master’s Keep, Diamond Anniversary is a touch lighter than one might expect from older bourbon, but perhaps the lower proof contributes a bit to this. Originally released as a limited edition offering in 2014, Diamond Anniversary bourbon can still be found occasionally on a retail shelf for a suggested retail price of $125.Īppearance: Honey brown in a Glencairn glass. For the occasion, Jimmy’s son, master distiller Eddie Russell, blended barrels of bourbon aged 13 years and 16 years and bottled Diamond Anniversary at 91 proof. Vital Stats: As the name implies, Wild Turkey released Diamond Anniversary to celebrate master distiller Jimmy Russell’s 60 years of service. ![]() Tasting Notes: Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary For a lower-proof whiskey, the flavor is surprisingly strong, which is likely due to the fact that water was not added to proof down Master’s Keep. Master’s Keep is a unique offering from Wild Turkey that has a flavor to match. Final Thoughts & Score/Buy A Bottle: Score: 87/100 As one might expect from a 17-year Wild Turkey product, the finish is dry and includes light pepper and oak spice notes. There’s a lot going on in the mid-palate, the spice notes from the front blend with light cream notes, tobacco, and even lighter tart apple notes. Palate: The classic Wild Turkey pepper and spice notes lead off the front, but these notes are much more subdued than younger Wild Turkey expressions. Overall, the nose is strong and there’s no doubt that Master’s Keep spent quite a bit of time in a barrel. Nose: Master’s Keep emits strong barrel notes of seasoned oak, vanilla, caramel, and light cinnamon that blend with floral, citrus and light mint notes attributable to the rye grain. For 17-year-old bourbon, Master’s Keep is a touch lighter than may be expected, perhaps due to the slightly lower proof. Master’s Keep was a limited edition release, but it can still be found on quite a few shelves for the suggested retail price of about $150.Īppearance: In a Glencairn glass, Master’s Keep appears a medium caramel brown. It’s the foundation that the Russell’s laid and continue to honor year after year that allows the brand to maintain its relevance today.After filtration, the result was 86.8 proof. ![]() Instead, the brand has stuck to tried and true methods that don’t deviate over time. It doesn’t do it through barrel finishing or exotic grains in its mashbill. Īesthetics aside, what has allowed Wild Turkey to stay relevant over all of these decades is its ability to deliver a consistently good pour year over year. Thankfully, that last point was addressed with a refresh of the brand's label in 2021, which gives the bottle a more modern and upscale feel compared to the last time we reviewed Wild Turkey 101 in 2015. However, the brand can hold negative connotations for many, whether it was due to a bad experience when they started drinking whiskey, the lower price point, or even the label design used. The Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon expression is by far the most recognizable of the brands the company produces. This allows fans of the brands to find the expression that best works for their personal preference (and one that also works for their wallet). From there, the Russell’s individually hone the flavor profile of their other brands including Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, and their Russell’s Reserve line. Wild Turkey is unique in the sense that they only have one bourbon mashbill.
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