Wild Turkey Master's Keep
43.4% ABV
What makes Master's Keep bourbon special is two-fold: First, the bourbon is the oldest in Wild Turkey's portfolio. Second, it wasn't distilled in a particularly traditional style. Eddie Russell, one half of the father-and-son duo that serve as the brand's master distillers, sent excess bourbon barrels to age in a friend's stone warehouse when his wooden warehouses were overstocked. After spending some time in that colder warehouse, Russell moved them back to the distillery's wood warehouses, where they continued to age.
Those years in the stone warehouse did a couple things to the bourbon. They made its appearance much lighter in color and it also brought down the alcohol content considerably. Barreled at 107 proof, the end product is just a little over 86 percent. Remarkably, though, after being aged for 17 years, it didn't lose the caramel and vanilla flavors that are inherent to a good bourbon. The result of those 17 years of distillation and ultimately 200 miles of travel, Master's Keep is certainly among Wild Turkey's finest offerings. Staring out silky smooth, it transitions into robust caramel and vanilla notes and finishes with spiciness and oak. No doubt this is one of the finest sipping bourbons you'll ever taste.
