Wild Turkey Master's Keep Voyage

"Won" this bottle at a right-to-buy raffle, though it was still quite pricey, but served as an excellent offering for a group purchase/crack. This is a top ten, maybe top five nose in my modest, but far from neophyte, whiskey drinking career. Lively and vibrant from the first nose, this one has plenty of rum barrel influences that changes just a bit each time you nose deeper. Tons of tropical fruits ranging from orange and passion fruit to berries and banana-like esters. But beneath the rum barrel is an impressive base whiskey, replete with caramel and vanilla and oh-so-inviting. Note that water doesn't do much to open things further, but that is also completely unnecessary with this whimsical pour. Flavor is lighter than anticipated, but in a good, approachable manner (even if a 'negative' is that its 'too easy' to drink). I would argue the rum barrel is more prevalent on the palate than on the nose, and I can't scratch a 'rum and coke' like flavor with cola-like flavors. It is a very sweet pour, but doesn't feel fake in any sense, with plenty of caramel, vanilla, and light wood notes to make it clear this is, indeed, bourbon. Dessert like with hints of vanilla bon-bons and chocolate-covered cherries. Finish is light and airy, but lasting. I pick up some new notes of molasses and pineapple (seriously) on the finish. An amazing pour that I went into with considerable skepticism. I overpaid relative to MSRP, but I would pay this price again to have a fresh bottle on the shelf...

Nose- Rum raisin, fruitcake, smells like one of those Tortuga Rum cakes that you sample or buy on vacation. The aroma is rich and decadent without being overly sweet. It explodes from the glass. There is also a vanilla cream underpinning with notes of egg custard Palate- Sweet upon entry and slightly syrupy, with notes of brown sugar. Then the bourbon really shines through the rum. Caramel corn, a hit of nutmeg, and some heat. Not much of the WT funkiness, but enough funk to let you know that WT and Appleton Rum are a match made in heaven. Finish- Nice long, warming finish. I am left with rumcake, and a nice older smoke finish. The sweet notes tamp down the 106 proof. Overall- Hands down THE BEST rum finished whiskey I have tried. For bourbon lovers only, you may be put off by its sweetness. For rum lovers only, the heat after entry may make you say hmmm?!? If you enjoy rum and bourbon both, crave something sweeter after dinner, this strikes the chord! For me, it would be one of those "if I could pick only five whiskies....." it would be it. The balance it strikes between the bourbon and rum is amazingly good. The Russell's and Joy Spence knocked it out of the park with this one. I refrained from 5 stars simply because of the astronomical price and perhaps the sweetness may be a turnoff for some. Take that out of equation and it is a 5 of 5. I traded a Stagg Jr and a Weller Full Proof to obtain and I feel I am a huge winner

Nose: baking spice, caramel, vanilla, something fruity (green apple?), little chocolate, burnt caramel, plum, dry pine needles. Body: little oily and coating. Medium. Palate: chocolate, baking spice, cardamom, vanilla. Finish: long sweet finish witha sweet spiciness and the a dry pine late late finish. Really interesting. Note: buy from jared. Shared this and highland park 30, THH, old fitz 10, yamazaki 12 and many others. This is complex. Spicy and sweet. The spice is complex with different things going on, not the classic cinnamon spice more like baking spices. Really interesting. Warming. Delicious. I find this to be a super interesting dram with layers of complexity but easy to sip and delicious.

Wild Turkey character perfectly melds with the rum cask influence. Nose: Molasses, Pineapples, Passion Fruit, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, Caramel, Luxardo Cherries, Guava, Raspberry Cola Palate: Caramel, Bananas, Luxardo Cherries, Raspberries, Bananas, Passion Fruit, Strawberries, Vanilla, Rum Raisins Finish: Bananas, Raspberries, Honey, Molasses, Treacle, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, Leather, Mint Chocolate, Caramel, Pineapples, Ginger

Absolutely crushable pour. Nose: butterscotch candy and hint of brown sugar on raisin bread. 🫡 Palate: vanilla, butterscotch, boozy raisins. Not one sharp edge on this pour. Perfectly balanced. Outstanding!! Overall: at 106 proof imo this is easily the best rum finished whiskey I’ve ever had. If you get this one out with your whiskey buddies be careful because it can get gone in a hurry lol.

The nose is a distinct blend of both bourbon and rum; you ger rich caramel/oak blended with tropical fruit like pineapple, vanills cherry cola and a touch of smokiness. Palate follows the nose almsot the same. Vanilla, allspice, oak, citrus. The finish is smooth and long with a burst of heat. Excellent.