Bourbon Hunting Season 2022 continues with Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Unforgotten.
The newest release in this annual limited-edition series was inspired by a previously bottled expression, Wild Turkey Forgiven.
The idea to marry straight bourbon and rye at Wild Turkey came about in 2010, when a crew member accidentally mixed a batch of young rye with a barrel of mature bourbon, the company says. Rather than discard the mistake, the distillery bottled it, with the fitting name Forgiven.
“Twelve years ago, I tasted the result of the distillery mishap that would become Wild Turkey Forgiven and was amazed,” says Wild Turkey Master Distiller Eddie Russell. “It was unlike anything I had ever tasted before, and I knew we had stumbled upon something special.”
“Master’s Keep Unforgotten pays homage to this happy accident,” he adds, “perfected with a secondary rye barrel aging in our pre-prohibition Rickhouse B — the favorite of my father, Master Distiller Jimmy Russell.”
At 105 proof, Master’s Keep Unforgotten contains some of the oldest rye ever released by Wild Turkey. The new whiskey combines 8- and 9-year-old rye with 13-year-old bourbon.
The nose is fruit-forward with notes of caramel and oak, the company reports. On the palate, the flavor profile consists of caramel, dried fruit and sweet oak — complemented by notes of dried fruit, honey, black pepper and baking spice from the ryes on the finish.
With a suggested retail price of $200 per 750-ml. bottle, Master’s Keep Unforgotten is available for a limited time at select retailers.
