Wild Turkey Rare Breed barrel proof rye whiskey bottle

Bottle Review

Wild Turkey
Rare Breed Rye

Caramel apple, honey, and vanilla up front, then a wave of black pepper and baking spice. A bold, creamy barrel proof rye that doesn't pull its punches at $59.95.

4–8 years · 112.2 proof · Barrel Proof Rye

Proof112.2

ABV56.1%

Age4–8 Yrs

StyleRye Whiskey

Price Paid$59.95

In the Glass

Tasting Notes

Nose

Caramel apple, honey, vanilla, and a lift of mint. Lemon zest and toasted oak round it out — sweet up front with a fresh edge underneath.

Palate

Bold and creamy. Honeyed caramel and vanilla lead, then black pepper, clove, and baking spices take over, with an herbal, nutty complexity underneath. This is rye showing off.

Finish

Long and warming, with oak and dark baking spices that fade into citrus or mint. The rye spice hangs around — in the best way.

Best Way to Drink ItNeat or on a cube

My Take

Rye, Unfiltered.

Rare Breed Rye is what happens when a distillery takes the training wheels off. At 112.2 proof, non-chill filtered, this is rye with nothing softened and nothing hidden — bold, creamy, and loaded with spice.

The nose is inviting: caramel apple, honey, vanilla, with a lift of mint and lemon zest. Then the palate turns up the volume — honeyed caramel and vanilla give way to black pepper, clove, and baking spices, with an herbal, nutty depth underneath. The finish is long and warming, oak and dark spice fading into citrus or mint.

At $59.95, this is a serious rye for the money. It's not a shy pour at 112.2 proof, but the creaminess keeps it from ever feeling harsh. Neat or on a cube — that's how I'd pour it — and yes, I'd buy it again.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed barrel proof rye whiskey bottle outdoors

The Backstory

Barrel Proof, No Apologies.

Rare Breed started as Wild Turkey's barrel proof bourbon back in 1991 — Jimmy Russell's answer to drinkers who wanted the whiskey exactly as it came out of the barrel. The rye followed the same playbook: a blend of 4-, 6-, and 8-year-old Kentucky straight ryes, bottled at 112.2 proof with no chill filtration and no water added.

It's made at the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, where the Russell family — Jimmy and his son Eddie — have been calling the shots for decades. "Crafted with conviction" isn't just the label talking; at barrel proof, there's nowhere to hide.

Wild Turkey: Rare Breed Rye