Distiller Notes
Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Sprits of 2022
2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold Medal Winner
#5 Whisky Advocate Top 20 Whiskies of 2020
Crafted in one of the few distilleries to remain dedicated to the art of rye whiskey, Rare Breed Rye is a blend of non-chill filtered rye. It is barrel-proof, meaning that it’s uncut, bottled directly from the barrels at the proof it is reached in those barrels. It is sister to award-winning Rare Breed bourbon and the first permanent super-premium rye in the Wild Turkey family.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Mild almond and cinnamon aromas lead into cocoa and caramel on the surprisingly luscious, lip-smacking palate. Adding water coaxes out mulling spices, orange flesh and peel, finishing with a final dazzle of ginger and cinnamon.
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Whisky Advocate
Rare Breed bourbon enjoys notoriety as a great value, and this new rye stands shoulder to shoulder with it. A gift for Wild Turkey fans from master distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell, it’s not chill-filtered, making it even more full-bodied and rich. Zesty aromas of mint, eucalyptus, pine, and cedar chest mingle with sliced orange, candied strawberry, and sweet pecans on the nose, and that profile carries over into the nutty, spiced, herbaceous, and citrus-sweet flavors of the palate. With water the full spectrum of flavors—and the harmonious interplay of grain and barrel—reveal themselves, leaving an unforgettable impression of perfectly controlled power.
Known for its peppery, spicy bite, Rye serves as the ideal base for cocktails like the Sazerac, Manhattan or Old Fashioned. In order for a spirit to be labeled an American Rye Whiskey, the mash bill must be comprised of at least 51% rye grain. The remainder of the mash is most often a combination of malted barley, wheat or corn. After distillation is complete, the spirit is transferred to unused, charred white oak barrels for a minimum of two years, though many producers choose to age longer.