Wild Turkey Rare Breed W-T-01-99
Before you start reading the wrong review, this is the old label Wild Turkey Rare Breed (known as 01-99 or W-T-01-99). For 2015 Wild Turkey Rare Breed bottling, clocking in at 112.8 proof, click here, and for the current 116.8 proof, click here.
In late Summer 2020, I got the chance to join a new, local whiskey group - the New Jersey Bourbon and Yacht Club. It’s not only people from New Jersey and there’s no yacht (as of yet) but it is full of generous guys who enjoy whiskey and want to share it. The group also happens to be chock full of dusty Turkey lovers.
For years I’d known people went nuts over so-called “dusty Turkey” - Wild Turkey bottles from earlier than around the mid-2000s. Now, if you ask Jimmy Russell - Master Distiller of Wild Turkey - or his son, Eddie, they’ll tell you that they haven’t changed their distillation methods, and by that logic the bourbon from back then should taste about the same as “modern Turkey”. Ask the dusty hunters, though, and you’ll hear that dusty Turkey is magical bourbon that is delicious, funky in a good, unique way, and better than almost anything on the modern market.
Look…I like this. I like this a lot. And I’m willing to concede that either in truth or by knowledge bias, there is a difference in taste. I’ll defer to experts like Dave Jennings (who goes by RareBird101 and recently published a history of Wild Turkey) for the much longer story. That being said, there are a lot of variables at play here. Older Wild Turkey corks are notoriously terrible and break off or leak frequently, so one has to take into consideration the possibility of oxidation, dusty funk, corkage, or other taste factors. The bottles I’ve tried have been in solid condition, so I don’t think that’s been an issue, but take that as a grain of salt when trying for yourself.
Oh - and one more odd thing…this bottle only comes in 375ml size (as far as I know).
Wild Turkey Rare Breed 108.4º: Specs
Classification: American Bourbon
Origin: Wild Turkey Distillery
Mashbill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Proof: 108.4 (54.2% ABV)
Age: NAS
Location: Kentucky
Wild Turkey Rare Breed 108.4º Price: Discontinued. Readily available on auction sites.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed 108.4º Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Dark amber, medium rims and quick thin legs.
Nose: Vanilla bean paste, under-baked sweet breads. Not much heat, but definitely a bourbon. Stone fruits lie low but are there if you give them time.
Palate: A bit of heat up front, fruity (especially red fruits) with a chalky dryness. Cinnamon and nutmeg. Vanilla rolls in towards the end. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, tingly, brings a little bitter nut skin to the table.
Finish: Very dry, cherries and dried spiced fruits with creamy oak.
Overall: This is ok, even very good, but I prefer modern Rare Breed more. I’ve tried this a few times from different people and different bottles. Never ran into an issue of funkiness or off flavors, so I’m taking the liquid as it is. While good, I’ll leave it to the hunters and get my trusty modern Rare Breed for $40 and a hell of an easier time with the corks.
Final Rating: 6.1
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)
8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)
7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)
6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)
4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)
3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)
2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)
1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)
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