whiskey review

Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary Bourbon Whiskey Review

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Wild Turkey’s Master Distiller Jimmy Russell has been at it for more than 60 years, and he’s still going strong.  Sixty years in the bourbon industry…hell, 60 years in any industry is damn impressive.  To commemorate this milestone, Eddie Russell, Master Distiller and Jimmy’s son, put together this release.  Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary is a blend of 13 to 16 year old stocks, bottled at 91 proof.

On the nose I get creamy vanilla, caramel, honey, brown sugar.  There’s a little bit of oak, but it’s softer and not as pronounced as I would have figured for a bourbon of this age.  The palate pretty much matches the nose, but adds a nice cinnamon spice.  The finish is medium in length and leaves a sweet aftertaste.

This was not a huge hit when it was released in mid-2014.  I’m not sure why.  This is one elegant bourbon.  Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary is a loving tribute to one of the biggest names in the bourbon industry.  Wild Turkey 101 may be a bit rambunctious, where Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary is cool and calculated, even elegant to a degree.  A bottle, if you can still find one, will run north of $115 (which is what I paid for my bottle).  Recommended to fans of Wild Turkey.

8.5/10

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon Whiskey Review

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Rare Breed is Wild Turkey at barrel strength.  Wild Turkey 101 is already bold enough on it’s own.  Is a barrel proof Wild Turkey even necessary?  Yes!  Any release that can get us as close as possible to what the Master Distillers taste from the barrel is necessary in my opinion.  Rare Breed is barrel proof, which means no water added.  Different batches vary in proof.  This one is 112.8 proof.  It is a blend of 6, 8, and 12 year old stocks of Wild Turkey bourbon.

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(Wild Turkey’s PR firm provided a review sample) The classic Wild Turkey aromas and flavors are here, albeit in a slightly more concentrated form.  On the nose there’s lots of vanilla, caramel, cinnamon spice and brown sugar.  Given its high alcohol content, there is a large bite upfront.  After it subsides, there’s sweet creamy vanilla, toffee, caramel, cinnamon spice, nutmeg and citrus (orange?).  Overall it’s a bit sweeter than Wild Turkey 101.  The finish is long and sweet.  It really warms your chest.

Do I prefer Rare Breed over Wild Turkey 101?  Slightly.  WT 101 is a great bourbon that’s budget price ($22).  Wild Turkey Rare Breed retails for about $45.  There’s more bang for your buck in a bottle of WT 101 than Rare Breed.  You’re paying $20+ for about 10 proof points and a smidge more flavor.  Is that enough of an upgrade? I think so, but ultimately that’s up to you. Recommended.

8.5/10

Knob Creek Bourbon Whiskey Review

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Knob Creek bourbon is the best selling whiskey of Jim Beam’s Small Batch Collection.  It’s a small batch bourbon aged nine years at 100 proof.  Knob Creek is named after Abraham Lincoln’s childhood home, Knob Creek Farm.  I’m no stranger to this one – this is the third bottle I’ve owned over the years.  I’ve got friends who swear by it.  It MUST be good, right?

The common theme for Knob Creek is wood.  There’s lots of it.  On the nose there’s vibrant oak, vanilla, spice and a tad of caramel.  The palate is no different – lots of char and vanilla.  There’s a little cinnamon spice, brown sugar and caramel there, but they play second fiddle to the oak.  It’s got a medium semi-sweet finish.  That was tasting it neat.  Over some ice, the sweet notes make their presence further known.

Knob Creek sure has a lot of oak for a 9 year old bourbon.  It’s pretty good.  What keeps it from being great is an unbalance of flavors.  The oak and sweetness never compliment each other.  Rather, they seem to be competing for dominance, with the victor oftentimes being the charred wood flavors.  That being said, something about it keeps me coming back.  Like I mentioned earlier, this is the third bottle I’ve purchased over the last several years.  The flavors are pretty bold for a bourbon.  I think its $35 price point makes Knob Creek an affordable, robust bourbon worthy of a purchase.

7.5/10