Wild Turkey Rare Breed

Spirit Name:	Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Score: Buy score:	95/100 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
ABV:	54.1%
Region:	Kentucky, USA
Body:	Full
Intensity:	High
Texture:	Slightly oily
Balance:	Near perfect
Best served:	Neat, with water, mixed
Theme(s):	Its aroma fills the room and suddenly, for whatever reason, the lyrics from John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" start pounding in my head. It was at that first whiff I knew I was in for a wild ride that made me ponder just one question at every turn: Can a bourbon get any better? With powdered brown sugar, wood, vanilla, raisins, toasted coconut, mild chocolate, salted caramel, almonds, red pepper, spice and a twist of mint all in near perfect harmony, this uncut barrel proof Wild Turkey is bourbon at its finest. Just like a wild Kentucky stallion - fierce yet elegant, just as nature intended.
Tasting notes:	Nose: This bourbon has a gentle yet hugely complex bouquet. Powdered brown sugar mingles with sparks of paprika as smoothing layers of vanilla, mild chocolate and salted caramel moderates the big drying wood notes. There is something spectacular about this whiskey, because as it sweltered in the Kentucky sun it absorbed some delightful notes from the oak - toasted coconut emerges, much like a macaroon with shades of vanilla and cocoa. There is an aspect of earthiness too, with the grain shining with dried fruit - raisins, apricot and sweet strawberry sauce. There is a curious, very mild, maple syrup theme and a brown vinegar that cuts through the sweetness.  Taste: A velvet hammer, this whiskey hits the tongue with a thunderous clap and ignites flavours of oak and cayenne pepper all gelled together with the sweetness of maple, sultana, dates and bite of pickled ginger.There is much more wood and spice than on the nose, but the sweetness and undercurrents of vanilla act as a counterbalance. Finish: The flavours linger on the palate, gradually drying as the wood becomes more dominant. With that comes some cocoa, hints of coffee, glazed cherry compote with vanilla pods and the faintest cinnamon.
Likes:	Big. Powerful. Complex. Smooth. Interesting.... boom boom!
Price:	$72 (Aus)

Wild Turkey Spiced Bourbon

Spirit Name: Type: Score:	Wild Turkey Spiced Bourbon Bourbon 84/100
ABV:	43%
Region:	Kentucky, USA
Body:	Medium
Intensity:	Medium
Texture:	Medium
Balance:	Good, sweet
Best served:	Neat, mixed, in a cocktail
Theme(s):	Bourbon theme, mild spice, vanilla
Thoughts:	Spice is often the domain of the rum lords, as they decide on the mix of exotic flavours to accentuate the sugary character of their rum. No stranger to innovation, Wild Turkey has taken a similar approach with its Wild Turkey Spiced and crafted a spiced bourbon.  Wild Turkey Spiced is basically the world famous Wild Turkey Kentucky Straight bourbon infused with natural flavours and spices.  Malt Mileage had the opportunity to taste this new release from Wild Turkey. It is not overly sweet thanks to its natural ingredients, and it exhibits a warming glow of exotic spices that accentuate the flavours of the bourbon - the bourbon flavour remains with only subtle spices, which then intensify towards the finish. It is sweeter than the Kentucky Straight bourbon, with a lighter more rounded mouth-feel thanks to the added vanilla.    This is a versatile drink, which holds its own in a mixed drink or cocktail and is enjoyable neat.
Tasting notes:	Nose: The bourbon theme remains, alive and strong, with only subtle shades of spice. Maple cured ham hits the nose, with sweet caramel, vanilla and hints of natural chai.  Taste: Sweet, chocolate notes develop with a Christmas theme of rummy raisin cake and cracked cinnamon as sweet vanilla smooths the drying American oak notes. The bourbon dominates at mid-palate, and then recedes as the spices develop with intensifying sweetness and vanilla.  Finish: The sweetness lingers, this time with mild coffee confectionery notes and hints of vanilla. That very mild maple on the nose returns, again with that sweet ham. This is very interesting spiced bourbon.
Likes:	Versatile, innovative, tasty
Warning:	This is a spiced bourbon with some added sweetness from the flavouring
Price:	$43 (Aus), $25 (US)

Wild Turkey Forgiven

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Wild Turkey Forgiven Bourbon/rye blend  Бурбон / ржаная смесь
Score:	92/100
ABV:	45.5%
Region:	Kentucky, United States
Body:	Medium-full
Intensity:	Medium, with lashes of rye
Texture:	Soft and smooth
Balance:	Superb
Best served:	Neat
Theme(s):	Spicy rye notes, smoothing vanilla, yogurt coated raisin, dates, chocolate, cocoa, wood, maple, grain, sourdough, complex sugars Пряный оттенок рожь, сглаживания ваниль, йогурт покрытием изюм, финики, шоколад, какао, дерева, клена, зерно, закваска, сложные сахара
Tasting notes:	It is claimed that the team at Wild Turkey unwittingly blended rye whiskey with bourbon, and rather than pour the batch down the drain the company decided to market the product as "Forgiven", a 91 proof 22% rye and 78% bourbon blend that was so good to the blenders at Wild Turkey that the team was forgiven for their mistake and everyone lived happily ever after in flavour country - the blue grass state, Kentucky!  It is pretty hard to believe that this was a mistake - the flavours are integrated and the bourbon/rye blend seems to be at an almost ideal ratio. This is seriously delicious whiskey with a spicy rye twist, absolutely spot on by the team at Wild Turkey (even if it was accident) and superb work by Eddie Russell, Associate Master Distiller, in spotting a winning blend.  Nose: Spicy rye notes, mild sharp vapours and charred dry wood are softened by the waft of luscious bourbon notes - yogurt coated raisins and dates are moderated by sparks of bitter dark chocolate as a luscious wave of vanilla and white chocolate seems to calm the energetic crackles of spicy rye that cut through the sweet brown sugar and cereal notes of corn bread and maple drizzled over pancakes. The sharp vapours are similar wet paint, nail polish and brown vinegar, but this is definitely not a bad thing - next time you bake or cut open a loaf of sourdough, smell it and you will pick up some interesting notes.   Taste: A wave of spicy rye, peppery and intense, bursts on the palate with salted caramel notes and hints of red wine vinegar. That spice lingers on the palate, but it is calmed and smoothed by a layer of vanilla, brown sugar, raisin and cotton candy as the grain soothes and explodes at the same time while the rye keeps whizzing around the taste buds as they tingle with life.   Finish: The calming layer of vanilla and bourbon notes gradually recedes as the whiskey rests on the palate after swallowing, and with that comes a re-emergence of the spicy rye notes with added cereal and sweet toffee.
Likes:	Balanced, spicy notes, calming vanillas and sugars
Price:	$90 (Aus)

Maker's Mark

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Maker's Mark  Bourbon
Score:	83/100
ABV:	40%
Region:	Kentucky
Body:	Medium-light
Intensity:	Medium
Texture:	Medium
Balance:
Best served: Age: Notes:	Neat, mixed About 6 years  No rye used in mash, and instead red winter wheat is used with corn etc.
Theme(s):	Super smooth, oak driven twang, raisin, dried fig, grain, smoothing corn, dark chocolate, mild vanilla, glazed prunes
Tasting summary:	Iconic, one glance at the square box and the red wax seal reveals leaves no question that the bottle holds Maker's Mark bourbon. Maker's Mark do not use rye in their mash, and instead together with corn etc use red winter wheat. Together with rotating the barrels to ensure each barrel is exposed to consistent temperature fluctuations throughout maturation, Maker's Mark is super smooth and consistently good. The tasting revealed a vibrant nose with the smoothing layers of corn interlaced with raisin, dried fig and vanilla. The grain is noticeable, too, musty almost. On the palate dark chocolate developed with glazed prunes and the slightest buzz of grain, and then it flattens. The finished remained for a little while, but a bitter oak driven twang dominated. Some describe Maker's Mark as "boring", but this is not true at all with this batch - Maker's Mark is super smooth with a vibrancy on the nose that flattens out on the palate with a big oak driven burst towards the middle-end.  This is great bourbon, and for the price, well, you can't go wrong. Do not expect fireworks or mind boggling complexity, this is not what the Maker's Mark is designed to do - to blow your socks off you may need to fork out some more cash... that's just the way the cookie crumbles, or you can try Jim Beam Devil's Cut. Maker's Mark, as the above ad reads, "is what it isn't"... now that is an interesting and good point.
Likes:	Super smooth, great choice for people who do not like rye
Dislikes:	Flat with a bitter oak driven twang
Price:	$45 (Aus)

Virgin Bourbon

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Virgin Bourbon Bourbon
Score:	76/100
ABV:	50.5%
Region:	Kentucky, United States
Body:	Medium
Intensity:	Medium
Texture:	Medium
Balance:	OK
Best served: Age:	Mixed 7 years
Theme(s):	Astringent, woody, bitter, alcoholic, raisin, fig cake, vanilla
Summary:	Astringent and mouth-drying, a burst of alcohol and wood introduces a cutting bitterness that is too much for the sweetness to handle - enjoyable bourbon with great mixing potential, not much of a virgin with its dominating bite!... behave
Tasting notes:	Virgin bourbon is produced by the Heaven Hill distillery mainly for markets outside the United States, but a careful internet search reveals that this is available in parts of the USA for about $12. It sells in Australia for about $42, at Liquorland in fact. Nose: Big chocolate, corn and raisin notes waft up with flecks of grain that dance around layers of caramel and wet dough. That wet dough character begins to dominate as the whiskey rests in the glass. flattening out the experience with some vanilla.  Taste: Skewed to the bitter woody side initially with mouth-drying astringency, some sweetness develops in the form of syrup and sultana but the alcohol and oak is simply too much for it to handle. There is an off note here, quite pronounced, that nags the palate - enough already! It is astringent, alcoholic, woody, and almost too spicy. The sweetness is there, but hard to identify - a $12 bourbon, eh? Makes sense now.    Finish: The mouth-drying middle softens towards the finish, adding some mild vanilla notes with fig cake.
Likes:	Big, strong and bold
Dislikes:	Bitterness
Price:	$12 (US), $42 (Aus)

Baker's Bourbon

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Baker’s Bourbon Bourbon
Score:	88/100
ABV:	53.5%
Region:	Kentucky, United States
Body:	Medium-full
Intensity:	Medium-high
Texture:	Velvety and syrupy
Balance:	Near perfect
Best served: Age:	Neat 7 years
Theme(s):	Licorice, peppermint, fisherman’s friend, corn, rye, velvety, soft yet powerful, sour cream, cocoa, caramel, vanilla, pastry, polished wood, oak, nuts, dark dried berries, sour cherries, smoky oak
Summary:	Baker’s Bourbon shines with Southern charm and darn good manners, with a silky smooth texture and delightful balance. Hidden deep within, though, is a temper that, when unleashed, releases fireworks of fruit, caramel, vanilla, grain, pastry and a smoky haze of Kentucky magic – this is seriously beautiful bourbon.
Tasting notes:	Baker’s Bourbon is park of Jim Beam’s small batch collection, and it takes its name from the grand nephew of Jim Beam. The valvetty texture of Baker’s Bourbon may be attributed not only to seven years of maturation, but also the use of a special strain of jug yeast that has been used by the Beam family for over 60 years. Nose: Sharp notes of licorice and peppermint fisherman’s friends pierce the nose, but just enough to let the sparks of rye and soft corn bread to shine. As the whiskey rests in the glass, the oak becomes more pronounced with notes of cocoa and the mild aroma of sour cream or yogurt softens the flecks of grain that glint in the backdrop of gooey caramel and vanilla layered over rum and raisin. The polished wood of library desks wafts up. This is powerful and has a lively presence in the glass, fascinating bourbon! Taste: A sweet surge of maple syrup texture floods the palate with charred oak and a granular vanilla pastry with alcohol preserved prunes, mixed nuts (pine nuts and almonds in particular) and banana. The bitterness and sweetness intensify in sync, and the progression of flavours never becomes unbalanced – just as the bitter and dry oak begins to dominate, the sweet raisin and corn acts as a counterbalance. This is beautiful bourbon.   Finish: Dried berries and sour cherries linger on the palate with the hazy smoke of dry oak, and within the fumes shines subtle nuances of pastry, walnuts and vanilla. Spicy, the finish lasts a decent while and progressively lessens into a delicious vapour of smoke – beautiful!
Price:	$70 (Aus), $45-$50 (US)

Booker's Bourbon ★

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Booker's Bourbon Bourbon
Score:	91/100
ABV:	64.5%
Region:	Kentucky, United States
Body:	Medium-full
Intensity:	High
Texture:	Medium-buttery
Balance:	Superb
Best served: Age: Notes:	Neat, block of ice, with water... "any damn way you like!"  6-8 years  Uncut, unfiltered and straight from the barrel
Theme(s):	Powerful, cask strength English style rum, coffee bean, brown sugar, vanilla, smoky, yellow plum, Earl Grey, peppermint tea, cocoa, oak, green apple (toffee)
Summary:	Be prepared for a powerful kick of a selection of Kentucky's finest. This whiskey offers a Chuck Norris fist full of rye and corn, as coffee bean, tea and brown sugar is smoothed and softened by shades of buttery vanilla that evapourate into a smoky haze and lead to a dry, yet beautiful balanced, finish of astringent fruit and sweet creaminess - this is a violent onslaught of Texas Ranger proportions, sip with caution or wear a mouth guard.
Tasting notes:	Booker's bourbon is part of the Jim Beam small batch collection, which comprises of Booker's, Baker's, Basil Hayden's and Knob Creek (Small Batch with Port added is also available). This collection is a step up from the classic Jim Beam white label, and a stand out of the collection is the Booker's - a powerful "barrel proof" bourbon bottled at around 60-65% ABV and perfect for a powerful kick of a selection of Kentucky's finest.  Booker's bourbon takes its name from Booker Noe, a descendant of Jacob Beam himself and the father of current president of Jim Beam Fred Noe. Apart from an appreciation for bourbon, something I share with the late Booker Noe is an (acquired) taste for uncut and unfiltered whisk(e)y - they call it true "barrel proof" in the United States and "cask strength" everywhere else. This is the first bourbon to be bottled straight from the barrel, and it is inspired by a 200 year old tradition. Booker Noe tasting Booker's In the below video Fred Noe discusses and tastes the small batch collection.   The small batch collection aims to give consumers more complexity and character than the standard Jim Beam white label, and in this regard it is a resounding success!  Nose: An immediate thunder-strike of wholesome all American bourbon goodness hits the nose. The rounding sweetness of the corn smooths the sparks of spice from the rye, as the grain wrestles each other in an entertaining but elegant show. The nose is tannic, as the crisp oak snaps with chocolate and tea - Earl Grey and peppermint tea. Mild notes of vanilla also develop on the nose, with a dry apple cider vinegar and yellow plum astringency morphing into green apple (toffee) and powdered milk. This is possibly one of the most complex bourbon noses I have encountered.  Taste: That thunder-strike of American fury also proceeds to the palate, like a smack in the mouth by Chuck Norris - Walker Texas Ranger! It is furious yet surprising elegant and buttery, The alcohol ignites on the palate, very much like a cask strength English style pot still rum, and the flavours of vanilla, oak, coffee beans, cocoa and brown sugar radiate on the palate. This is powerful and mouth drying, but with enough sweetness to ward off the prolonged astringency.  Finish: Explosive, the dry oak and spicy rye dry the palate with sweet shimmers of brown sugar resting at the bottom of a half consumed espresso with a drop of buttery cream - beautiful.
Likes:	Complex, elegant, powerful and what bourbon should be - uncut and unfiltered.
Price:	$89 (Aus), $60-$70 (US)

Basil Hayden's

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Basil Hayden’s Bourbon
Score:	78/100
ABV:	40%
Region:	Kentucky, United States
Body:	Medium
Intensity:	Medium
Texture:	Medium
Balance:	OK
Best served: Age:	Neat 8 years
Theme(s):	Menthol, spearmint, raisin, marmalade, vanilla, chocolate, rye, spicy, bitter, oak
Summary:	Sweet, smooth and complex. Sweet marmalade and raisin is brightened by spearmint and menthol as hints of vanilla smooth the sweet corn, but that sweetness is dominated by the spicy onslaught of rye and oak.
Tasting notes:	Basil Hayden’s is part of Jim Beam’s small batch collection. The distinct feature of Basil Hayden’s is that it contains twice the amount of rye than the other expressions in the small batch collection. Nose: Soft pulses of freshly baked bread carry sweet raisin and mild surges of vanilla, as butter and orange marmalade develop with hints of chocolate and menthol drops. As the whiskey rests the smell of raspberry confectionary intermingles with the bitter-sweet orange marmalade, and both add brightness to the grain rich and oak laden backdrop. Taste: A bitter helping of charred oak is mouth-drying, as sweet plumb raisin and preserved mandarin segments soften the onslaught of spicy oak as menthol and spearmint shine brightly. Flecks of grain crackle on the palate, for a moment adding some roughness to an otherwise silky smooth experience – almost like turbulence on a smooth flight. The turbulence is not unwelcome, and it adds something interesting to the experience. The oak is however sharp and it becomes a dominating force, so much so that the whips of bitterness are not very well balanced by the sweetness – the spicy rye and the oak outweigh the sweetness of the corn, and the palate becomes very dry.   Finish: Oak, pure cocoa and dry wood linger on the palate, drying it.
Dislikes:	Dominance of the rye and oak outbalanced the corn and the sweetness
Price:	$65 (Aus)