Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Revival
I received a bottle of the Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Decades Bourbon this past Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so that I have already finished it. When the Wild Turkey Revival became available, I purchased it almost immediately.
BOTTLE DETAILS
- DISTILLER: Wild Turkey
- MASH BILL: 75% Corn | 13% Rye | 12% Malted Barley
- AGE: 12 to 15 Years. Finished in hand-picked 20 year old Oloroso Sherry Casks from Jerez, Spain
- YEAR: 2018
- PROOF: 101 (50.5% ABV)
- MSRP: $149.00
- BUY ONLINE: Drizly.com
LEE'S NOTES
NOSE: Chocolate Cherries | Oak | Spice | Hint of Vermouth
TASTE: Red Fruit | Oak | Spice | Hint of Grape
FINISH: Slight spice on the tongue gives way to a mix of cocoa powder and cherries ending with a hint of grape. A nice warming of the chest.
SHARE WITH: I would share this with anyone who enjoys a good bourbon especially those who like wine finished bourbons. While the sherry finish is very subtle it is discernable and enjoyable.
WORTH THE PRICE: I purchased this bottle myself so obviously I believe it is worth the price. Some searching may bring you to a price lower than MSRP.
BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: If you are a fan of the Wild Turkey Master’s Keep releases I would go for a bottle. If you haven’t tried this series then I always recommend trying something new at a bar. It might be a little hard to find however given the limited release.
OVERALL: I received a bottle of the Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Decades Bourbon this past Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so that I have already finished it. When the Wild Turkey Revival became available, I purchased it almost immediately. I am sure this bottle will empty as quickly as well. While I have tasted Wild Turkey products in the past and the first rye whiskey in my collection was the Wild Turkey 6 year old rye, I never had much if any in my cabinet until about this time last year when I started trying different releases and I realized what I had been missing. I now have several different releases. Our Bourbon and Banter 5th Anniversary Trip to Wild Turkey sealed the deal. (Read about it here: Wild Turkey: The Best Private Barrel Trip Ever.)
On the nose this is immediately identifiable as a Wild Turkey product. The sherry finish is not overwhelming and helps produce notes of red fruit and a hint of vermouth. Some chocolate and oak mix in.
On the palate, there is first a burst of oak and spice followed by red fruit. The sherry notes only come through slightly but provides a great taste.
The finish starts with a burst of spicy pepper which develops into a cocoa powder tongue covering that fades into a hint of grape. A very nice warming as you sip.
I found that it took a few pours for me to come up with my tasting notes. I found it complex and an excellent bourbon. The sherry notes are subtle and not overwhelming as some sherry finished bourbons can be. A great Wild Turkey release. This is a “stunning revival.” It’s still in the stores. I may have to get another bottle.
Here are a few related reviews you might be interested in:
BRAND NOTES
Master’s Keep Revival is the whiskey that Master Distiller Eddie Russell has dreamed of for decades. Years ago, Eddie’s legendary father, Master Distiller Jimmy Russell, crafted an experimental bourbon enhanced with Oloroso Sherry that faded from existence but not from Eddie’s mind. Now Eddie presents a stunning revival of that special bourbon – a mouthwatering memory perfected and bottled.
For 12 to 15 years, the bourbon in this limited edition rested in a reserved lot of American oak barrels before finishing in 20 year old Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks that Eddie personally hand-selected during his travels to the Jerez-Xeres- Sherry region in Spain. The final result is an indulgent sipping whiskey with the warm and round characteristics of the Spanish sherry, anchored perfectly by the backbone of a beautifully crafted bourbon.
With a bouquet of sweet figs and spices, this decadent whiskey delivers harmonious flavors of rich chocolate, golden tobacco, and toasted almonds that dance on the palate with a dry, long, finish. Master’s Keep Revival is bourbon making at its finest. – a fond recollection transformed into a delicious work of art.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Cherry pie, raisins, citrus, nuts and a touch of oak
Taste: Soft and creamy hints of spice and sweet tropical fruits,
Finish: Long and lingering notes of honey, spice and dried apricots
Master’s Keep Revival is made from a blend of Wild Turkey Kentucky Straight Bourbon aged 12-15 years before finishing in at least 20-year-old Oloroso Sherry casks, hand-selected by Master Distiller Eddie Russell. The result is a one-of-a-kind, 101 proof sipping whiskey …. An homage to a bourbon pioneered by Jimmy Russell, it’s a must own for the serious whiskey collector.
– WILD TURKEY
WILD TURKEY MASTER'S KEEP REVIVAL BACKGROUND INFO
Third Expression in Award-Winning Series of Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbons Dips into the Archives for Inspiration
LAWRENCEBURG, KY (June 12, 2018) As innovation continues to define the whiskey category, a retrospective look into the Wild Turkey® archives served as inspiration for the iconic spirit brand’s latest release. On the heels of his first two heralded special releases, Wild Turkey Master Distiller Eddie Russell introduces the highly-anticipated third U.S. expression in the award-winning Master’s Keep series—Master’s Keep Revival. As the newest expression in the super premium series, Master’s Keep Revival features Wild Turkey Bourbon aged 12-15 years and finished in 20-year-old Oloroso Sherry casks.
With a nod to his father’s 64-year legacy as a Bourbon sage and distilling legend, Master’s Keep Revival is inspired by the limited-release Wild Turkey Sherry Signature; a product Jimmy Russell introduced in the early 2000’s that featured sherry-infused, 10-year-old Bourbon finished in an Oloroso sherry cask. Eddie used the Sherry Signature taste profile to guide him to older Bourbon that, after resting in sherry casks, brought out top notes of fruit that blended perfectly with the vanilla and caramel of Wild Turkey. Eddie’s “revival” of Sherry Signature was the impetus for the name —a fitting tribute for the dynamic father & son distilling duo who collectively have 101 years of experience between them.
It was important to Eddie that he specifically use sherry casks that had held liquid for at least 20 years to pull through a richer flavor with stronger notes of fruit. To secure casks directly from the source, Eddie traveled to Jerez, Spain in search of the perfect barrels. To Eddie’s surprise, this was a lot harder than he imagined. While he found a surplus of three to four-year-old casks, anything older than four years was extremely scarce. However, Eddie’s persistence and determination to secure these precious barrels led him to someone with a stock of a few hundred.
“Master’s Keep Revival is a Bourbon I am proud to put my name on,” said Eddie Russell. “Jimmy and I have our healthy differences in how we drink Bourbon and how we make Bourbon, but I really enjoyed being able to take something my father created decades ago, which was maybe a little ahead of its time, and put my own stamp on it for today’s Bourbon connoisseurs and treasure hunters. I think it will be a nice addition to any collection.”
With the Master’s Keep series, Eddie has pushed the boundaries on the age limits of Bourbon, producing some of the oldest whiskeys Wild Turkey has ever released. The first launch of the series, Master’s Keep, was a 17-year-old bourbon aged in stone and wooden warehouses. Its sequel, Master’s Keep Decades, also showcased how Eddie is able to create exceptionally balanced whiskies from liquid aged far beyond what is normally Wild Turkey’s sweet spot of 8–12 years. Both whiskies received high praise from Bourbon bible Whiskey Advocate – having awarded Master’s Keep a score of 91 points and Master’s Keep Decades a score of 94 points, while also naming Decades the third best whiskey release of 2017.
Made from a blend of whiskies aged 12 to 15 years and finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks, Master’s Keep Revival is a 101 proof (50.5% alc. /vol.) Kentucky Straight Bourbon with a nose of cherry pie, raisins, citrus, nuts and a touch of oak. It delivers soft and creamy hints of spice and sweet tropical fruits, balanced with long and lingering notes of honey, spice and dried apricots. With only 1,600 cases and available for a limited time nationally and at the Wild Turkey Visitor Center in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Revival retails for $149.99.