Review: Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Beacon
The final release in Wild Turkey’s incredible Master’s Keep series is here, ending a run of whiskeys that began in 2015 and culminates with Beacon, a selection of two bourbons blended together, one picked by Master Distiller Eddie Russell and one by Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell.
Per the company:
Master’s Keep Beacon is a blend of 10 and 16-year-old bourbons, each hand-selected to reflect key moments in the distillery’s history. Eddie’s selection, a 16-year-old bourbon distilled between 2007 and 2008, was pulled from some of the last remaining barrels laid down in the original Wild Turkey distillery where he first honed his craft, just before the distillery’s major expansion in 2011. Bruce’s 10-year-old selection, distilled in 2015, is among the first he produced alongside his father and grandfather, Hall of Fame Master Distiller Jimmy Russell, when he joined the family business. Together, they’ve created a harmonious blend of flavors from distinct eras and the highest-proof release in the Master’s Keep series.
This sought-after collection consists of 10 global releases since its inception: 17 Year (2015), Decades (2016), Revival (2018), Cornerstone (2019), Bottled in Bond (2020), One (2021), Unforgotten (2022), Voyage (2023) and Triumph (2024). [Yes, we had the good fortune to review every one of them. -Ed.]
“When we set out ten years ago to launch the Master’s Keep series, we knew we had something special but I never imagined the journey it would take us on,” says Wild Turkey Master Distiller Eddie Russell. “Our first release was the most unique whiskey we’d ever released, and with each expression since we’ve been able to share some of the rarest whiskies in our rickhouses, all while staying true to who we are as Wild Turkey. Looking back a decade later I’m very proud of what we’ve created to date, and looking forward to what’s next.”
Swan songs are always bittersweet, as whiskey can be too. Let’s see what the boys in Lawrenceburg have for us for their big exit from the series.
Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Beacon Review
Late stage Master’s Keep bottlings have been typically heavy on the barrel, and Beacon is no exception. There’s a lot of very old stock in this release, and it tastes the part. The nose is both very spicy and very drying, quite heavy with mint and backed up by black tea, cola, and toasted baking spices. Ample char gives the whiskey a considerable frontier quality that feels leathery but also comforting — and quite racy at its full proof of 59% abv, the highest-proof release in the Master’s Keep series.
The palate diverges only minimally, its abv a bit bruising at full strength, coming across as peppery and a bit harsh, though overtones of orange peel, dried cherries, and dark brown sugar are evident. I ended up dosing this with water — and more heavily than I expected — eventually taming some of that heat and coaxing out more nuanced flavors. Mixed florals surprise, as does a note of saffron, and with the perfect balance of water and whiskey notes of dark chocolate and cinnamon graham crackers become prominent. There’s a wild cherry bent to the proceedings, culminating in notes of sassafras, anise, and a significant reprise of sweetened black tea on the finish.
One of the more elusive and unbridled Master’s Keep releases — as would perhaps be expected by the highest abv release in the series — it’s a fitting end to a wild series that never stopped challenging expectations of what Wild Turkey can do.
118 proof.
A- / $300 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
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