The bottle I’m reviewing today is batch L0173022. That should indicate that it was bottled in 2001, a full 3 years before Wild Turkey changed the barrel entry proof from 107 to 110.This batch wears a barrel proof of only 108.4 proof. That’s barely higher than the barrel entry proof these barrels went in at.

The methods that spirits were produced across the industry were quietly changed sometime in the mid-1980’s. New methods were put in place to reduce urethane levels in the final product. Studies showing links between urethane consumption and health issues were sparking fears in food and drink producers. The exact changes that spirits producers put into place are not well known outside of the industry. Whiskey that Wild Turkey distilled before that period of time supposedly had some of the highest urethane levels in the industry (over 250 ppb). Barrels that were produced before the changes occurred were still legally allowed to be used though. That means the 12 year old (or older) barrels that are in this batch surely came from that time period. The barrel composition is said to be a mix of 6, 8 and 12 year old barrels. Modern batches of Rare Breed are about the same ages but taste wildly different – as in not that old. Palate: Medium bodied, not quite syrupy. A hearty tongue burn is followed by smoky cocoa nibs, dark roast coffee beans, dry oak, fresh hay, toasted oats, and cinnamon red hots.This causes the natural fatty acids that are in the distillate to congeal, clump together and become trapped in the filter.The reason why this is done is mainly cosmetic. Producers don’t want their customers thinking their whiskey is defective if it is exposed to cold temps (like a car trunk in the winter or a big cube of ice being added to a glass). I bet you thought I forgot about that comparison, didn’t you? Well, I’m pleased to report that this January 2021 Rare Breed is more similar to my July 2020 bottling than I initially assumed. There are slight differences, though nothing impactful enough to claim a shift in general profile. If pressed for an assessment, I’d say this 2021 Rare Breed is sweeter on the nose, nuttier on the palate, and pushing a touch savory on the finish. The 2020 bottling seems to carry heavier char and “burnt” notes, especially on the nose and palate, though minimal in bearing overall.

I promised myself that if I couldn’t find love at the bottom of this bottle, then I would call it quits with Dusty Turkey forever. The stats on W-T-01-99 This may seem odd, but technically this is legally considered barrel proof in the eyes of the TTB. You’re not allowed to dump the barrels into a vat and proof it down and call it that. The final way they could be getting a consistent proof is just lying about it and refusing to change the label. There aren’t many ways to enforce these mislabeling practices, so maybe they just don’t care. I’m not saying that’s the case though. For all of the sweet and creamy aspects of this bourbon up until this point, I do detect the tiniest bit of astringency. It’s still very well done though and there’s a ton to like about it. Score: 9.1/10 Overall: This 2021 bottling is everything Rare Breed should be – not a note more or less. In fact, this may be the best nose on any Rare Breed since the 2017 label transition. It’s loaded with dark toffee, brown sugar, baked fruit, sweet & savory spice, and the perfect degree of maple-esque oak char. It sips well under proof (dangerously so). Hell, it almost warrants availability as liter and 1.75 liter bottles. Wait – did I say “almost?” Forget that! I’ll clarify: We need Rare Breed in liter and 1.75 liter bottles. There. Much better. If we decide not to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms, such decision shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.This was the case when Wild Turkey released the rye whiskey version of Rare Breed in 2020. Up until then, the only way to get Wild Turkey rye whiskey was to buy a bottle of Wild Turkey 81 or 101 and Russell’s Reserve Rye Whiskey Single Barrels. Finish: long & comfortably warm ( “signature Rare Breed”) – salted caramel, pepper, maple chews, spicy oak, sassafras, leather, faint cinnamon & clove Rare Breed Rye also takes things a step further by not chill filtering (NCF) the liquid. This is something that not even the US version of Rare Breed Bourbon can claim. If you’re unfamiliar with chill filtering, it’s the act of passing the whiskey through a media (sometimes silk or paper filters, sometimes a layer of fine charcoal) after chilling it down to 40 degrees or less.

You are responsible for all activities through your account. You are responsible for the accuracy of the information you provide to us in relation to your account, and for updating it where necessary. You are not allowed to create multiple accounts. We may terminate or temporarily suspend your account to protect you, ourselves or our partners from (suspected) identity theft or other (suspected) fraudulent (e.g. false, misleading, deceptive) activity. You have the obligation to keep your login credentials confidential. You shall not authorize any others to use or access your account. The first two were young, chill-filtered and proofed way down. The latter was a single barrel version which always had to be bottled at the same proof. It’s no mystery why Wild Turkey didn’t have a strong rye whiskey market presence – Jimmy Russell is on the record many times saying how he didn’t care about making it. Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye Whiskey Whiskybase B.V. is the Dutch private limited liability company, having its statutory seat in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and its office at Zwaanshals 530, 3035 KS Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Whiskybase B.V. is registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under no. 52072819. Oh, so that’s where all of the engineers at NASA went. The second method could take advantage of a TTB rule that states that the proof on a label is allowed to be off from the actual proof of the liquid by like, +/- .5% ABV (so one proof point in either direction). This could give Rare Breed Rye the ability to possibly be as high as 113.2 and as low as 111.2.Outside of the Russel family, I think it trumps it’s competitors. Blanton’s? Not interesting enough-blandish. Woodford? Not complex enough. Four Roses Single? Mysterious (in a good way), but not quite as interesting. Booker’s? Close, but no cigar. Lemon mixes with mint and licorice mixes with crushed Brazil Nuts. I even find a nice array of baking spices on my tongue; cinnamon and allspice. The fruit is still strangely absent (with the exception of citrus) as I was expecting to find maybe some cherry or raspberry notes. The 8 year old barrels don’t seem to be helping as much as I thought either. If anything, the oak I’m finding seems to taste dry– something I find with younger whiskey. No partnership, joint venture, agency, or employment relationship is created as a result of your use of the Service. We may, but are not under any obligation, to release new functionalities and tools or other features for the Service every now and then. Any new functionalities, tools and features shall be part of and governed by the Terms from the moment they are launched and/or available. Further, we reserve the right to modify, change, discontinue the Service, add or remove features, update the Service, change its appearance, temporarily and permanently, at any time, in whole or any part thereof. I’m not entirely sure myself, but here’s a couple of ways they could be doing it. First, it is theoretically possible that they are measuring the proof of each barrel and blending together the batches using some insanely precise math calculation.