There's a reason Wild Turkey Rare Breed has been a staple on my back bar for years. In a bourbon market increasingly crowded with limited editions and allocated hype bottles, Rare Breed quietly does something remarkable — it delivers barrel proof bourbon at a price that doesn't require a second mortgage or a connection at your local shop. At 58.4% ABV, this is bourbon with nothing to hide.
Rare Breed is a non-age-stated blend of Wild Turkey's 6, 8, and 12-year-old stocks, all married together and bottled without any water added to cut the proof. That's the key detail here. What you're getting in the glass is bourbon exactly as it comes out of the barrel — no dilution, no compromise. Wild Turkey has always used a relatively low barrel entry proof compared to most Kentucky distillers, which means more of the spirit's original character survives the aging process. The result is a bourbon that wears its proof well. 58.4% sounds aggressive on paper, but in practice Rare Breed drinks easier than plenty of bourbons ten points lower.
Tasting Notes
I don't have my detailed tasting notes to hand for this particular batch, but I can tell you what to expect from the Rare Breed profile. This is classic Wild Turkey — bold, spice-forward, and unapologetically rich. The house style leans towards baking spices, caramel, and a woody depth that comes from those older stocks in the blend. The barrel proof presentation means every flavour hits with more intensity than the standard Wild Turkey 101. If you've enjoyed 101 and wondered what it would taste like with the volume turned up, this is your answer.
The Verdict
At £59.95, Rare Breed sits in a sweet spot that's increasingly hard to find. You're getting genuine barrel proof bourbon — not a "cask strength" marketing exercise at 50% — for the price of a decent dinner. The NAS designation might put off some collectors, but frankly I'd rather have a well-constructed blend of multiple age stocks than a single age statement that doesn't drink as well. The blending of those 6, 8, and 12-year components gives Rare Breed a complexity that straight young bourbon can't match, while keeping enough energy and punch to stay interesting.
I'm giving this a 7.6 out of 10. It's a reliably excellent bourbon that I'd recommend to anyone looking to step into barrel proof territory without the lottery ticket nonsense. It loses a couple of marks only because the competition at this price point has got fiercer in recent years, and there are moments where I wish the older stocks asserted themselves a bit more. But those are minor gripes about a bourbon that consistently over-delivers.
Best Served
Rare Breed is built for an Old Fashioned. At barrel proof, it stands up to the sugar and bitters without getting lost, and you don't need to worry about ice dilution washing out the flavour. Two dashes of Angostura, a sugar cube, a fat orange peel — that's it. Don't overcomplicate it. If you're drinking it neat, add a few drops of water and give it five minutes to open up. The proof drop lets some of the subtler notes come forward, and you'll get more out of each sip. Either way, this is a bottle that earns its place on any shelf.
