Good review, and I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of the whiskey, however the designation 'sour mash' doesn't mean the final product will taste sour. It's simply a means of starting the next cycle of fermentation and ensures consistency in terms of overall character.
The only sour mash I ever tasted was in Jack Daniel's. I've drank alot of bourbon but that always stands out distinctly. Probably from being started on it at an early age.
@@OGBOBBY81 Rare Breed is nothing like 101. WT 101 has a “flowery / perfumy” finish for me that I struggled with at first. Rare Breed doesn’t have this at all and all the best flavours from 101 are amped up. Personally, I’d recommend trying it in a bar before writing it off. I don’t think you’ll regret it.
The term "sour mash" doesn't refer to a sour flavor, per se. Rather, it refers to using the previous batch (notably the active yeast in it) to start the next batch. Just like sourdough bread. Also, this is my odds-on favorite all-purpose bourbon. Good quality, and plenty of rye to give it some punch (I am a Rye-Guy at my core, I think). I really like to "punch up" a pedestrian Old Fashioned with a splash of this. It really elevates the drink, but it's economical!
Tried this while visiting the Wild Turkey distillery, which is a good tour, and loved it. It always has a spot on my bar. It would be fun to have Ralphy visit some Bourbon Distilleries.
16:48 - „Every Bourbon is a Sour Mash“ - no, that is not true😊 Kentucky Peerless Distillery (Louisville, Kentucky) or Wilderness Trail Distillery (Danville, Kentucky) - both producing excellent Bourbon and Rye, by the way, are Sweet Mash Whiskeys😉👍 Love your channel🫶🏼
I just read a very detailed history of sour mash and I think it's safe to say that NO modern distillery uses a sour mash in the historical sense of the word. What distilleries call a "sour mash" these days is actually closer to the historical "sweet mash". Not that any of this matters since they are indistinguishable once distilled.
@@RabidMortal1 I don't agree with that.....was just at Four Roses and Buffalo Trace, and they clearly showed that they were pumping back the stillage from their 1st distillation back into their Mash Barrels that had actively fermenting mash. That is the exact meaning of sour mash......remaining stillage going back into next batch of mash.
One of my favourite whiskeys (mind the "e") for many years. With the Wild Turkey Rare Breed you will get very good quality for a rather cheap price, at least in Germany. Compared to a lot of scottish malts this is a real bargain.
Several bourbon distilleries do a sweet mash approach rather than sour mash, including Peerless and Wilderness Trail (both in Kentucky). Wild Turkey uses rye from Germany.
Rare breed is a fantastic bottle for the money. Have to say though that at lower proofs wild turkey still holds up amazing, here in Michigan the 101 sells for around 26usd for a 750ml and I would say is one of the most delicious deals in whiskey.
Hi Ralfy! Just wanted to give a huge special thank you! My 2-months-old daughter often has these witch hours during late evening and nothing seems to help to calm her down. Lately, I just started to watch your videos with her in my arms and in a few minutes she calms down, listens, then falls asleep. And it worked multiple times in the last few days. Your voice seems to be very calming for babies :)
Excellent presentation!! I have two of these bottles, that’s how much I enjoy it !! I also agree with your observations on Buffalo Trace products. I live in Miami, Florida USA and I have been fortunate enough to acquire some of those harder to find bourbons (Eagle Rare, Stagg, EH Taylor), but Rare Breed is in my top 5. Cheers 🥃
ralfy, good to hear your comments on a very good bourbon. Price and availability are tops. It's a shame people put so much money and effort into paying 5 to 10X over MSRP for "trophy" named bottles.
I’ve been going through bottles of this for a few months now. Rare Breed has an amazing explosion of flavor that I’ve not had with any other bourbon yet. Amazing stuff at a fantastic price.
WT Rare Breed was one of the first bourbons I have ever truly enjoyed.......it is no wonder that it gets top votes on most whisk(e)y review channels. thanks for the review Ralfy!
Always have a bottle of this on my shelf. Great value. Great bourbon. And it's readily available. I have bourbons I enjoy more than this...but at this price point, you can't beat it.
So cool to see this review. I am from Kentucky in the heart of bourbon country. This is a very sought after bottling here, it sells very quickly. Everyone here recommends a bar spoon of water as well! Awesome review!
Such a delicious bourbon. At my local military liquor shop, I can purchase a bottle of the Rare Breed for about $42US. A liter of 101 proof for just $19US. Criminally under priced. Thank you master distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell. Thanks for your great review Ralfy.
Hey Ralfy - I asked my local shop if they could get in some McClean's Nose. They said maybe. I went back two weeks later, and there was a shelf tag for it, but no bottles. I was told it had sold out. Your recommendations have effect world wide. As far as bourbon goes, I actually prefer the WT 101 to the Rare Breed. But I greatly prefer malt to corn, so I've been buying more American Single Malts than bourbons lately.
Thank you for this review, I poured a taste right along with you. It felt like having a friend by my side to enjoy this experience. Cheers to you, keep on doing what you do. All the best.
My rule which inflation is severely testing is no more that $50 for bourbon or rye and no more than $100 for single malt. I really like WTRB and WT101, the Glenfarclas reference is interesting because Glenfarclas 12 is my go to single malt right now. Evan Williams Bottled in Bond is my go to bourbon, I like it better than bourbons that sell for 3 times it's price.
I'm not sure you have a handle on what sour mash means. It's a form of fermentation that does NOT make bourbon sour; quite the opposite. Sorry for the correction, but I know many of your viewers don't know much about bourbon either so I thought I would clarify things. Still liked the review!
Rare Breed has a strong case to declare itself `the best bourbon in the world` because of it`s terrific quality which can hang with much more expensive bottles yet it is available at a price far more reachable to the average person & importantly readily available to purchase. Wild Turkey should be commended on not just this bottle but on others in their range particularly WT 101 which is probably the `best bang for the buck` bourbon.
Got a bottle based in part on your last review. Its good stuff. I gravitate more toward bourbon because im in the US and can get more cask strength bourbon than anything else here
There are several Bourbons that are not a sour mash. For example Wilderness Trail Bourbons are all “Sweet Mash” which means always new yeast for each batch not left over… nice review sir!!!
Thanks for the work! Here in Pa. Wild Turkey bourbons are readily available and priced very reasonable. 101 is $24.00 U.S.D. rare Breed around $48.00 U.S.D. The releases are always identical in taste year to year. God Bless, stay safe.
You must be in a southern state, or at least far far away from California or NY. It’s $70 usually near me and the rye is on a huge sale for $59. $49 is a VERY good deal
I know I’m in the minority, but even as a bourbon fan I’ve never cared much for the Wild Turkey taste profile. If I do buy a WT bottle, it’d be Russell Reserve single barrel 10 year. It varies by barrel, but I’ve had a couple store picks I really liked.
It’s not just a few more proof points. 101 is a blend of 6-8 year old whiskey were rare breed is a blend of 6-12 year old whiskey. Also Rare breed is unfiltered and barrel proof.
I'm a Wild Turkey fan (particularly RB, which I always have in the house), but to be fair, the Blanton's mash bill is _thought_ to be 12-15% rye, while the Rare Breed mash bill is known to be 13% rye.
Hey ralfy! I'm new to dipping my toes into the bourbon world. Do you suggest diluting your sharp bourbons more than thr standard spoonful ? Or less? To find those notes
I haven´t tried this version of Rare Breed yet, I have only tried the older (rounder) bottle which was a slightly lower alcohol volume. It was delicious without any water.
You should try Courage and Conviction. Bourbon finished in Cuvée wine barrels. 46%abv, Non chill,Not colored etc. 3-4 years minimum. Good stuff. @$70 though.
Bottled In Bond Bourbons are 50% ABV. My bottle of WT Rare Breed says Non-Chill Filtered. There is no wheat in this whiskey. There is also a WT Rare Breed Rye Whiskey. Sour mash is a common phrase on American whiskey bottles, but it definitely doesn’t signify that the whiskey inside is sour. Instead, it alludes to a production process that distilleries used to regulate the pH of their mash. By adding a portion of that spent mash to their current mash (the remainder is often fed to livestock), distillers can ensure their mash pH remains within acceptable levels and ensure flavor continuity from batch to batch. Not all bourbons are sour mash!
Kentucky Spirit 101 can often be as good or sometimes even better than Rare Breed despite the lower proof. Why? Kentucky Spirit is a single barrel product. If you get a good one, you won’t be disappointed.
Indeed, Rare Breed deserves the accolades. I wasn’t sure if the hype was real until I finally bought a bottle last summer. It’s real, even Ralfy says so. And it delivers at an attractive price point and is readily available in my area.
even in the US, I consider this the very best value in bourbon. I buy this regularly and never leave my bar empty of it. It's available, it's high proof, it's absolutely delicious, and it's still at a great price point of $60 which is a hell of a price given the stats on it. Wild Turkey simply is the best.
Your quote of "no one ever gave an award to sealed whiskey, only open bottles reveal their secrets" and time will tell should be added on. Because on first opening it doesn't share all the secrets. Love your stuff and i'm here to see if you add water again. Most of the usa base bourbon or whiskey channels never add water. Some used to. But in any tasting i think it's valuable.
Ralfy, thanks again for an excellent and informative review. Your comments regarding alcohol toxicity when overused are always welcome. Two comments: it would be very useful if you could dedicate one of your extras to explain the difference between a sour mash and a honey mash. And perhaps as a footnote: isn’t it more correct to say that whisky is a barrel-aged liquor made of barley? Thank you for your comments and thanks again for an excellent presentation
Wild Turkey makes Russell's 10, 13, and 15 year that are outstanding. Russell's 15 is dominating in blind tastings in 2024. Just a mention for those who are not entirely familiar with WT.
This is a perennial favorite. Couple of points: 1) Not all bourbon is sour mash. In particular Wilderness Trail and Peerless come to mind but there are many others. 2) You didn't mention if your bottle is non-chill filtered. In the US Rare Breed is chill filtered but in the travel retail market non-chill filtered is available. Not sure what you get in the UK. There is also Rare Breed Rye whiskey, a relatively recent release and it's all non-chill filtered. We really are in a great age for bourbon (and rye) here in the US. The craft distillers are finally coming of age and putting out much better tasting and properly aged whiskeys. Age statements are coming back as legacy distillers stocks have been replenished (Knob Creek 9, 12, 15 & 18 yr). Availability is improving and price is coming down on the limited editions and rarer whiskies (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, etc.). Sure, Pappy and BTAC are still unavailable but that's because of all the absurd hype surrounding them.
I keep seeing a higher strength Jack Daniels special edition thing.. 'Bonded' or something. The price varies wildly.. but it is 46% (? I think).. I always found Jack Daniels to be incredibly watery in taste. ALWAYS Loved Wild Turkey!
Bonded Jacks are 50%, like all BiB. I find I like their rye and triple mash better than the actual Jack. I tried them all, the Gentleman, the single barrel, meh. I've liked all of their rye products.
Rare Breed is an underrated bourbon…I get it for $45 here in Michigan. In terms of proof I have always felt bourbons fit best around the 100 proof point
Everyone was on a cask strength chase, gotta have it neat and high strength. But the more you play with water. The more you just simply can enjoy a pour. I find that more and more now. It has to be a meaningful drop of water too, not this tiny spec that is barely 1ml.
vodka is also distilled from grains. to my mind, wild turkey is the best of the big bourbon distillers, jimmy russell being an absolute jewel of world whiskies.
@@xXDAKURLZ I wasn't referring to Ralfy who is defintely not a noob, I was referring to endless articles online that attempt to re-define bourbon whiskey as a non-whiskey spirit. I think Ralfy was referring to that as well. I should have explained it better, my bad. All bourbon is whiskey/whisky but not all whiskey/whisky is bourbon.
@@kaiserhogSeriously, I drink a lot of Bourbon, and I never read something like “Bourbon is not Whisk(e)y”. I have heard endless discussions about Jack Daniels isn’t Bourbon or it is, but I never heard someone who knows anything about Bourbon, Rye, American Single Malt or “American Whiskey” claiming “Bourbon is no whiskey”.
I bought more bourbon than ever before in 2023. This is the one, head and shoulders above the rest at this price point. NAS but It’s mostly 6-8 with a splash of 3-5. It’s class
Same here. Then it went to $43 for quite a while. But the last couple of years, it's jumped a lot. Near $60 most places by me (Chicago area). What's the price by you?
The nonchill filtered version of this is even better, but only sold as duty free in certain international airports. In the EU the best bourbon buy (but expensive) is four roses limited edition small batch. It will set you back 250 to 350.
Water unlocks more flavor. Without water you're missing out, just like with drinking cold. Even though I'm always tempted to taste cask strength whiskies neat first, and enjoy them, I typically find more by experimenting with water. More often than not. It's not wrong, but it reduces available flavors.
@@alexk3088that’s overly simplistic. These kinds of statements, along with Ralfy’s here, are only true if you are a complete American whiskey noob, and spend the majority of your time drinking lower proof world spirits. It just simply isn’t true as a broad sweep. Letting the whiskey simply rest has essentially the same effect, but you don’t lose any impact. American bourbon and rye drinkers don’t add water, because it’s ridiculous. If you want to add it to scotch, fine, but to say that people who drink Rare Breed neat aren’t interested in flavor is absurd. Any American would bourbon enthusiasts would laugh out loud at that statement. I understand Ralfy certain is catering to a different audience, though.
@@DaveH8905 I do drink American whiskey, especially barrel strength, and I would even say that bourbon and rye need abv more than single malt, but it's simple physiology that we don't get the full flavor if we chill the spirit or if we drink it at high strength. Now, there's nothing wrong with enjoying the high abv bite, as sensation, but it's not the whole flavor. You simply discover more by experimenting with a few drops of water. There's no difference in how/why that works. High abv ethanol anesthesizes the taste buds, making them less sensitive, like Novocaine does. Most cognac drinkers might also consider it wrong, but they too are missing out, especially if drinking cask strength cognacs. It's not my opinion, it's our physiology.
@@alexk3088 it isn’t true though, so what you think is how it works with our physiology is just an opinion of how you think it works, based on the way you like to consume spirits.
@@alexk3088 if you want to add water I literally don’t care at all, but the suggestion you make as a broad sweep just isn’t reality when you drink cask strength American whiskies at cask strength on a regular basis. What you are saying isn’t even the argument that most water adders make. You are talking about a specific dilution making your tongue able to perceive the flavors. This would suggest that a 100 proof whiskey has more flavor than a 130 proof whiskey. That just isn’t true. Most of the time, I see people adding water to “open up” a whiskey because because the whiskey is “closed up”. As I said, if you just let the glass sit for 10-20 minutes it does the same exact thing. You CAN get SOME additional flavor NOTES out of a whiskey if you are impatient and want to add water, but you aren’t intensifying the current flavors, and that isn’t even the case for every bourbon or every rye, it is very much a case by case situation, and many times it makes it worse. Also, over the life of the bottle the alcohol will exit the bottle as more air gets in, and the water already in the bottle will play a more prominent role, so you’ll get the same effect just by drinking the bottle anyway, and it’s fun to see the changes - but some bottles get worse with air, which also means that some whiskies get worse with water, as I said. It’s just so much more complicated than “drink it neat if you don’t care about flavor”. Also, if you want to talk physiology - your body adapts. If you primarily drink higher proof stuff, you get used to it. Sure, if 43% ABV is what you drink 95% of the time, then a 60% bourbon will seem ridiculous and full of ethanol and acetone and all that. If you drink it all the time, you get used to it and it and your palate adapts and then you have the opposite issue where 40% spirits often taste like water. Again, I understand Ralfy is catering to a different audience, as I said, so I get why he says what he says, but it still makes me laugh and shake my head.
Peerless bourbon is a "sweet mash" instead of sour. Sour doesnt refer to the taste, it means they reuse some of the starter from the previous batch. Like sourdough bread.
He wouldn't know what it tastes like. The Rare Breed Rye is only available in the US for some reason. If you are in America of course you should buy it. I am in Canada and would love to be able to buy it.
Great video Ralfy. Love your take on Wild Turkey Rare Breed. Really enjoyed your honest and direct opinion on energy drinks lol. Ralfy, I am a new UA-camr and would love to hear your opinion on attracting viewers and subscribers. All the best and keep up the great content sir.
WTRB is widely believed to be chill filtered *despite* being over 58% ABV. I tend to believe that's true. If so, I really am at a loss why distilleries are addicted to this process, as they do it more often and for less and less actual reason. Every time someone spews a "legitimate" reason to do it (as they did when they said it's only done at low ABVs), distilleries themselves blow that up as many bottled-in-bonds (50%) are chill filtered. WTRB is a great whiskey don't get me wrong but this is highly, HIGHLY unnecessary, yet costly. Nevertheless I'm sure someone will come along and defend it.
As a Kentuckian, I’m sorry that we export a bunch of cheap low abv bourbon. I’m extremely proud of my native spirit and Rare Breed is a legendary bottle. Wild Turkey has that sour thing going on and I’d say it’s yeast strain is what gives that characteristic
I believe this one of the few times where you guys get the better American offering than we do in the states. I believe the international and travel versions are non- chillfiltered, whereas the domestic version is. Why they do this, I do not know. Ironically, the Rare Breed Rye is non-chillfiltered domestically. Go figure.
No, that is not what is called "high rye" bourbon. That is in the realm of normal or standard for a ryed bourbon. There isn't firm agreement about what percentage qualifies as a minimum for the "high rye" designation, but most bourbon people tend to think of it as 18% or 20% and higher.
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Good review, and I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of the whiskey, however the designation 'sour mash' doesn't mean the final product will taste sour. It's simply a means of starting the next cycle of fermentation and ensures consistency in terms of overall character.
The only sour mash I ever tasted was in Jack Daniel's. I've drank alot of bourbon but that always stands out distinctly. Probably from being started on it at an early age.
This one is definitely on my to get list, I'm a big fan of its younger brother WT 101. Cheers ralfy.
Rare Breed is so much better than the 101! You are in for a treat!
@@OGBOBBY81 Rare Breed is nothing like 101. WT 101 has a “flowery / perfumy” finish for me that I struggled with at first. Rare Breed doesn’t have this at all and all the best flavours from 101 are amped up. Personally, I’d recommend trying it in a bar before writing it off. I don’t think you’ll regret it.
I keep one on the bar and a spare in the cupboard at all times. It’s everything great about bourbon.
The term "sour mash" doesn't refer to a sour flavor, per se. Rather, it refers to using the previous batch (notably the active yeast in it) to start the next batch. Just like sourdough bread.
Also, this is my odds-on favorite all-purpose bourbon. Good quality, and plenty of rye to give it some punch (I am a Rye-Guy at my core, I think).
I really like to "punch up" a pedestrian Old Fashioned with a splash of this. It really elevates the drink, but it's economical!
Tried this while visiting the Wild Turkey distillery, which is a good tour, and loved it. It always has a spot on my bar. It would be fun to have Ralphy visit some Bourbon Distilleries.
I'm glad the award went to this one. Widely available, integrity, good value. Not "allocated".
16:48 - „Every Bourbon is a Sour Mash“ - no, that is not true😊 Kentucky Peerless Distillery (Louisville, Kentucky) or Wilderness Trail Distillery (Danville, Kentucky) - both producing excellent Bourbon and Rye, by the way, are Sweet Mash Whiskeys😉👍 Love your channel🫶🏼
More accurately: all bourbon is sour mash, unless otherwise stated. Sweet mash is still more of an exception proving the rule.
I just read a very detailed history of sour mash and I think it's safe to say that NO modern distillery uses a sour mash in the historical sense of the word. What distilleries call a "sour mash" these days is actually closer to the historical "sweet mash". Not that any of this matters since they are indistinguishable once distilled.
@@RabidMortal1 link, please?
@@RabidMortal1 I don't agree with that.....was just at Four Roses and Buffalo Trace, and they clearly showed that they were pumping back the stillage from their 1st distillation back into their Mash Barrels that had actively fermenting mash. That is the exact meaning of sour mash......remaining stillage going back into next batch of mash.
One of my favourite whiskeys (mind the "e") for many years. With the Wild Turkey Rare Breed you will get very good quality for a rather cheap price, at least in Germany. Compared to a lot of scottish malts this is a real bargain.
Several bourbon distilleries do a sweet mash approach rather than sour mash, including Peerless and Wilderness Trail (both in Kentucky). Wild Turkey uses rye from Germany.
Ridiculously good bourbon. Sips way above its price point.
Definitely!
And so widely available. No gimmicks.
Saw this for $44 dollars at my grocer, might have to pick it up.
@@blary5298 very good price, don't sleep on it.
@@blary5298 you’ll not regret it
Rare breed is a fantastic bottle for the money. Have to say though that at lower proofs wild turkey still holds up amazing, here in Michigan the 101 sells for around 26usd for a 750ml and I would say is one of the most delicious deals in whiskey.
used to be able to get 101 for £23 here. absolute steal (its gone upt to £26 on discount, which is about the equivalent in freedom dollars)
Hi Ralfy! Just wanted to give a huge special thank you! My 2-months-old daughter often has these witch hours during late evening and nothing seems to help to calm her down. Lately, I just started to watch your videos with her in my arms and in a few minutes she calms down, listens, then falls asleep. And it worked multiple times in the last few days. Your voice seems to be very calming for babies :)
I thought you were gonna say you started giving her whisky! 😂
And when she is teething, a tot on her dummy works wonders! ask a Grandad lol
@@christian9387 haha no, but only because I don't share my dram 😂
Thought you were going to say you give her a Rare Breed to calm her 😂
Always nice to hear your comments on whiskey - occasionally, bourbon. I still prefer scotch Arran 18 and Port Charlotte 10 but RB is a great standby.
Excellent presentation!! I have two of these bottles, that’s how much I enjoy it !! I also agree with your observations on Buffalo Trace products. I live in Miami, Florida USA and I have been fortunate enough to acquire some of those harder to find bourbons (Eagle Rare, Stagg, EH Taylor), but Rare Breed is in my top 5. Cheers 🥃
ralfy, good to hear your comments on a very good bourbon. Price and availability are tops. It's a shame people put so much money and effort into paying 5 to 10X over MSRP for "trophy" named bottles.
I’ve been going through bottles of this for a few months now. Rare Breed has an amazing explosion of flavor that I’ve not had with any other bourbon yet. Amazing stuff at a fantastic price.
I love my whiskies big, bold and powerful. Love this one. Best bourbon Ive come across.
If you can ever get your hands on Henry McKenna 10 year Bottled in Bond it’s a great one as well.
You can always add Water ... you can't remove it.
Plus 750ml of 58% spirit... goes further with judicial addition of water.
WT Rare Breed was one of the first bourbons I have ever truly enjoyed.......it is no wonder that it gets top votes on most whisk(e)y review channels. thanks for the review Ralfy!
And yet he scores it 84, the man’s conceit knows no bounds
Always have a bottle of this on my shelf. Great value. Great bourbon. And it's readily available. I have bourbons I enjoy more than this...but at this price point, you can't beat it.
Im a big fan of the 101. Havent tried this but i have picked up a bottle of noahs mill, which is very very good
Ralfy is music for my ears, melody that is calming and increasing my learning. Thank you Ralfy!
So cool to see this review. I am from Kentucky in the heart of bourbon country. This is a very sought after bottling here, it sells very quickly. Everyone here recommends a bar spoon of water as well! Awesome review!
And yet he only scores it 84 marks, he’s lost the plot in my opinion. Anything popular he has to put a negative spin on because of his arrogance.
Thanks Ralfy, The Wild Turkey tour is really nice and they do suggest adding a bit of water to enjoy all the flavors
Such a delicious bourbon. At my local military liquor shop, I can purchase a bottle of the Rare Breed for about $42US. A liter of 101 proof for just $19US. Criminally under priced. Thank you master distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell. Thanks for your great review Ralfy.
Hey Ralfy - I asked my local shop if they could get in some McClean's Nose. They said maybe. I went back two weeks later, and there was a shelf tag for it, but no bottles. I was told it had sold out. Your recommendations have effect world wide.
As far as bourbon goes, I actually prefer the WT 101 to the Rare Breed. But I greatly prefer malt to corn, so I've been buying more American Single Malts than bourbons lately.
A “craft” distillery to keep an eye on is Dettling. They’re a true grain to glass distillery based on a farm.
No one in the UK has any chance of getting hold of Seth’s bottles mate
We typically don't get the fancy gift boxes with our bourbon stateside, but we do with most Scotch and Irish malts 😏
Fantastic Bourbon! It’s cheap given how fabulous it is!
Thank you for this review, I poured a taste right along with you. It felt like having a friend by my side to enjoy this experience. Cheers to you, keep on doing what you do. All the best.
101 Rye is my favorite Turkey offering
Rye 101 is excellent. And the Rare Breed Rye is awesome.
My rule which inflation is severely testing is no more that $50 for bourbon or rye and no more than $100 for single malt. I really like WTRB and WT101, the Glenfarclas reference is interesting because Glenfarclas 12 is my go to single malt right now. Evan Williams Bottled in Bond is my go to bourbon, I like it better than bourbons that sell for 3 times it's price.
Evan Williams BiB is a solid bourbon. I had some bottles of Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage (bought on a steal price) and they are excellent.
$50 here in the US, in Ohio. Definitely a bottle I keep stocked. For $50, it's my benchmark and few things can match it for that price. Cheers!
I'm not sure you have a handle on what sour mash means. It's a form of fermentation that does NOT make bourbon sour; quite the opposite. Sorry for the correction, but I know many of your viewers don't know much about bourbon either so I thought I would clarify things. Still liked the review!
Rare Breed has a strong case to declare itself `the best bourbon in the world` because of it`s terrific quality which can hang with much more expensive bottles yet it is available at a price far more reachable to the average person & importantly readily available to purchase. Wild Turkey should be commended on not just this bottle but on others in their range particularly WT 101 which is probably the `best bang for the buck` bourbon.
All these recommendations from very well respected American bourbon aficionados and Ralfy only deems it worthy of 84 marks. The man’s a crank
Ralfy thank you for your review, this has been on my wish list for a while.
It’s delicious!
Got a bottle based in part on your last review. Its good stuff. I gravitate more toward bourbon because im in the US and can get more cask strength bourbon than anything else here
Excellent review of an excellent bourbon 🥃 and an excellent value. Thanks dear Ralfy. Kindest regards, S.
There are several Bourbons that are not a sour mash. For example Wilderness Trail Bourbons are all “Sweet Mash” which means always new yeast for each batch not left over… nice review sir!!!
Thanks for the work! Here in Pa. Wild Turkey bourbons are readily available and priced very reasonable. 101 is $24.00 U.S.D. rare Breed around $48.00 U.S.D. The releases are always identical in taste year to year. God Bless, stay safe.
You must be in a southern state, or at least far far away from California or NY. It’s $70 usually near me and the rye is on a huge sale for $59. $49 is a VERY good deal
WTRB $50 here in mass @@robfut9954
@@robfut9954you clearly are not very bright, are you?….
@@gregorymoats4007 I think Ralfy would agree that personal attacks have no place in this community. Are you doing alright?
@@robfut9954 PA is Pennsylvania. He stated it.
No way... I was about to write an review of this Bourbon right now, good taste!
Good Evening 😊 Awesome Video👌🏽 Nice review Mate 💯 Greetings From South Africa 🇿🇦
I know I’m in the minority, but even as a bourbon fan I’ve never cared much for the Wild Turkey taste profile. If I do buy a WT bottle, it’d be Russell Reserve single barrel 10 year. It varies by barrel, but I’ve had a couple store picks I really liked.
Cheers 🥃🥃 Ralfy, I'm off to buy a bottle!!
Did not know that trivia about rye. Very interesting!
Been drinking Rare Breed for a few years, one of my favorites.
Love the 101,but...almost £30 more for another 8% abv..i'm yet to be convinced,though i'm sure i would like the Rare Breed..
It’s not just a few more proof points. 101 is a blend of 6-8 year old whiskey were rare breed is a blend of 6-12 year old whiskey. Also Rare breed is unfiltered and barrel proof.
@@jaredtaylor7777 Wild Turkey is currently £24:98...say no more!😁🥳🥃
I'm a Wild Turkey fan (particularly RB, which I always have in the house), but to be fair, the Blanton's mash bill is _thought_ to be 12-15% rye, while the Rare Breed mash bill is known to be 13% rye.
WT 101, Eagle Rare 10 and this are the only three quality and affordable bourbons in the UK.
The only ones I'll buy, currently.
Hey ralfy! I'm new to dipping my toes into the bourbon world. Do you suggest diluting your sharp bourbons more than thr standard spoonful ? Or less? To find those notes
Great Review Ralfy, thanks for the expirients. With water he is verry nice .🤗
👌👍💪
How come y’all get boxes?!???!
I haven´t tried this version of Rare Breed yet, I have only tried the older (rounder) bottle which was a slightly lower alcohol volume. It was delicious without any water.
The wheater that's the exception, William Larue Weller.
Ralfy, what do you think of the Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye? A blend of non-chill filtered rye?
You should try Courage and Conviction. Bourbon finished in Cuvée wine barrels. 46%abv, Non chill,Not colored etc. 3-4 years minimum. Good stuff. @$70 though.
Bottled In Bond Bourbons are 50% ABV. My bottle of WT Rare Breed says Non-Chill Filtered. There is no wheat in this whiskey. There is also a WT Rare Breed Rye Whiskey. Sour mash is a common phrase on American whiskey bottles, but it definitely doesn’t signify that the whiskey inside is sour. Instead, it alludes to a production process that distilleries used to regulate the pH of their mash. By adding a portion of that spent mash to their current mash (the remainder is often fed to livestock), distillers can ensure their mash pH remains within acceptable levels and ensure flavor continuity from batch to batch. Not all bourbons are sour mash!
Most bourbons are sour mash, to my knowledge, unless they state they are not then assume that they are. That’s the rule i always follow
It’s blander than Blantons. And that’s bland. Love it. Spot on my man.
Kentucky Spirit 101 can often be as good or sometimes even better than Rare Breed despite the lower proof. Why? Kentucky Spirit is a single barrel product. If you get a good one, you won’t be disappointed.
Indeed, Rare Breed deserves the accolades. I wasn’t sure if the hype was real until I finally bought a bottle last summer. It’s real, even Ralfy says so. And it delivers at an attractive price point and is readily available in my area.
It is one of my favorites from Wild Turkey. In my area in Florida it sells for about $55.00. 116.8 is a good proof point.
even in the US, I consider this the very best value in bourbon. I buy this regularly and never leave my bar empty of it. It's available, it's high proof, it's absolutely delicious, and it's still at a great price point of $60 which is a hell of a price given the stats on it. Wild Turkey simply is the best.
acetone lol. "if you want heavy acetone but some...."
no i think im good
Wild Turkey has remained consistent for as long as I can remember. Always excellent value for the money.
Your quote of "no one ever gave an award to sealed whiskey, only open bottles reveal their secrets" and time will tell should be added on. Because on first opening it doesn't share all the secrets. Love your stuff and i'm here to see if you add water again. Most of the usa base bourbon or whiskey channels never add water. Some used to. But in any tasting i think it's valuable.
$45 - $50 USD in my area. I always keep a bottle on hand. Great stuff!
Great one 😊 good review.
Ralfy, thanks again for an excellent and informative review. Your comments regarding alcohol toxicity when overused are always welcome. Two comments: it would be very useful if you could dedicate one of your extras to explain the difference between a sour mash and a honey mash. And perhaps as a footnote: isn’t it more correct to say that whisky is a barrel-aged liquor made of barley? Thank you for your comments and thanks again for an excellent presentation
No, that is not the definition of whisky and has never been. Any grain. Not just the specific grain called barley.
Wild Turkey makes Russell's 10, 13, and 15 year that are outstanding. Russell's 15 is dominating in blind tastings in 2024. Just a mention for those who are not entirely familiar with WT.
3:07 I really appreciate your channel and this is a great analysis.
This is a perennial favorite. Couple of points: 1) Not all bourbon is sour mash. In particular Wilderness Trail and Peerless come to mind but there are many others. 2) You didn't mention if your bottle is non-chill filtered. In the US Rare Breed is chill filtered but in the travel retail market non-chill filtered is available. Not sure what you get in the UK. There is also Rare Breed Rye whiskey, a relatively recent release and it's all non-chill filtered.
We really are in a great age for bourbon (and rye) here in the US. The craft distillers are finally coming of age and putting out much better tasting and properly aged whiskeys. Age statements are coming back as legacy distillers stocks have been replenished (Knob Creek 9, 12, 15 & 18 yr). Availability is improving and price is coming down on the limited editions and rarer whiskies (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, etc.). Sure, Pappy and BTAC are still unavailable but that's because of all the absurd hype surrounding them.
If i'm going to indulge in bourbon this is my go to for a special occasion!!
I keep seeing a higher strength Jack Daniels special edition thing.. 'Bonded' or something.
The price varies wildly..
but it is 46% (? I think).. I always found Jack Daniels to be incredibly watery in taste.
ALWAYS Loved Wild Turkey!
Bonded Jacks are 50%, like all BiB. I find I like their rye and triple mash better than the actual Jack. I tried them all, the Gentleman, the single barrel, meh. I've liked all of their rye products.
Rare Breed is an underrated bourbon…I get it for $45 here in Michigan. In terms of proof I have always felt bourbons fit best around the 100 proof point
Hi Ralfy,
Would you be interested in reviewing Two James Distillery Catcher's Straight Rye?
Everyone was on a cask strength chase, gotta have it neat and high strength. But the more you play with water. The more you just simply can enjoy a pour. I find that more and more now. It has to be a meaningful drop of water too, not this tiny spec that is barely 1ml.
vodka is also distilled from grains. to my mind, wild turkey is the best of the big bourbon distillers, jimmy russell being an absolute jewel of world whiskies.
I'd love to know your thoughts on n buffalo trace kosher rye recipe. I think it offers good bang for the buck, even against WT RB.
I hope this at some point show up here in Norway. For now I’ll have to settle with the Wild Turkey 101.
It sure is around. Good stuff. Have to give it another try soon.. 🙂
Ralfy in the Southern US Bourbon is or was whisky. A lot of noobs into bourbon spreading bad information on the internet.
@@kaiserhogHe addressed this in the first 60 seconds of the video. Bourbon is a style of whisky.
@@xXDAKURLZ I wasn't referring to Ralfy who is defintely not a noob, I was referring to endless articles online that attempt to re-define bourbon whiskey as a non-whiskey spirit. I think Ralfy was referring to that as well. I should have explained it better, my bad.
All bourbon is whiskey/whisky but not all whiskey/whisky is bourbon.
@@kaiserhogSeriously, I drink a lot of Bourbon, and I never read something like “Bourbon is not Whisk(e)y”.
I have heard endless discussions about Jack Daniels isn’t Bourbon or it is, but I never heard someone who knows anything about Bourbon, Rye, American Single Malt or “American Whiskey” claiming “Bourbon is no whiskey”.
I bought more bourbon than ever before in 2023. This is the one, head and shoulders above the rest at this price point. NAS but It’s mostly 6-8 with a splash of 3-5. It’s class
Love this stuff. I used to be able to get it for under $40 a couple years ago.
Same here. Then it went to $43 for quite a while. But the last couple of years, it's jumped a lot. Near $60 most places by me (Chicago area). What's the price by you?
The nonchill filtered version of this is even better, but only sold as duty free in certain international airports. In the EU the best bourbon buy (but expensive) is four roses limited edition small batch. It will set you back 250 to 350.
“You can have it neat if you’re not interested flavor” 😂🤦🏼♂️
I love the guy but that’s an absurd statement.
Water unlocks more flavor. Without water you're missing out, just like with drinking cold. Even though I'm always tempted to taste cask strength whiskies neat first, and enjoy them, I typically find more by experimenting with water. More often than not. It's not wrong, but it reduces available flavors.
@@alexk3088that’s overly simplistic. These kinds of statements, along with Ralfy’s here, are only true if you are a complete American whiskey noob, and spend the majority of your time drinking lower proof world spirits. It just simply isn’t true as a broad sweep. Letting the whiskey simply rest has essentially the same effect, but you don’t lose any impact. American bourbon and rye drinkers don’t add water, because it’s ridiculous. If you want to add it to scotch, fine, but to say that people who drink Rare Breed neat aren’t interested in flavor is absurd. Any American would bourbon enthusiasts would laugh out loud at that statement. I understand Ralfy certain is catering to a different audience, though.
@@DaveH8905 I do drink American whiskey, especially barrel strength, and I would even say that bourbon and rye need abv more than single malt, but it's simple physiology that we don't get the full flavor if we chill the spirit or if we drink it at high strength. Now, there's nothing wrong with enjoying the high abv bite, as sensation, but it's not the whole flavor. You simply discover more by experimenting with a few drops of water. There's no difference in how/why that works. High abv ethanol anesthesizes the taste buds, making them less sensitive, like Novocaine does. Most cognac drinkers might also consider it wrong, but they too are missing out, especially if drinking cask strength cognacs. It's not my opinion, it's our physiology.
@@alexk3088 it isn’t true though, so what you think is how it works with our physiology is just an opinion of how you think it works, based on the way you like to consume spirits.
@@alexk3088 if you want to add water I literally don’t care at all, but the suggestion you make as a broad sweep just isn’t reality when you drink cask strength American whiskies at cask strength on a regular basis. What you are saying isn’t even the argument that most water adders make. You are talking about a specific dilution making your tongue able to perceive the flavors. This would suggest that a 100 proof whiskey has more flavor than a 130 proof whiskey. That just isn’t true. Most of the time, I see people adding water to “open up” a whiskey because because the whiskey is “closed up”. As I said, if you just let the glass sit for 10-20 minutes it does the same exact thing. You CAN get SOME additional flavor NOTES out of a whiskey if you are impatient and want to add water, but you aren’t intensifying the current flavors, and that isn’t even the case for every bourbon or every rye, it is very much a case by case situation, and many times it makes it worse. Also, over the life of the bottle the alcohol will exit the bottle as more air gets in, and the water already in the bottle will play a more prominent role, so you’ll get the same effect just by drinking the bottle anyway, and it’s fun to see the changes - but some bottles get worse with air, which also means that some whiskies get worse with water, as I said. It’s just so much more complicated than “drink it neat if you don’t care about flavor”. Also, if you want to talk physiology - your body adapts. If you primarily drink higher proof stuff, you get used to it. Sure, if 43% ABV is what you drink 95% of the time, then a 60% bourbon will seem ridiculous and full of ethanol and acetone and all that. If you drink it all the time, you get used to it and it and your palate adapts and then you have the opposite issue where 40% spirits often taste like water. Again, I understand Ralfy is catering to a different audience, as I said, so I get why he says what he says, but it still makes me laugh and shake my head.
I have only gotten into rye whiskies last year and I must say i have become a fan.
Love this bourbon but I don't buy it that often. Every bottle I buy has a big hole in it. They never last long.
Peerless bourbon is a "sweet mash" instead of sour. Sour doesnt refer to the taste, it means they reuse some of the starter from the previous batch. Like sourdough bread.
I knew the Scot in me loved something about Wild Turkey. Now I know. 😊
Ralfy… there’s a rye version of rare breed I can get on sale for $59… should I get it? Is the rye heavy version still well thought of?
He wouldn't know what it tastes like. The Rare Breed Rye is only available in the US for some reason. If you are in America of course you should buy it. I am in Canada and would love to be able to buy it.
Definitely grab it. I find it better than their standard RB.
@@wengschop5266 oh wow, that’s good to know thanks
My current favorite bourbon. I'm surprised Ralfy never reviewed this one
Liked the Tom Jones quote, It’s not unusual. 😀
yum YUm.... looks fantastic.
@12:48 - Well, Ralf - they buy it to mix with booze and get pished as fast as possible 🤧🤢😵
Great video Ralfy. Love your take on Wild Turkey Rare Breed. Really enjoyed your honest and direct opinion on energy drinks lol. Ralfy, I am a new UA-camr and would love to hear your opinion on attracting viewers and subscribers. All the best and keep up the great content sir.
WTRB is widely believed to be chill filtered *despite* being over 58% ABV. I tend to believe that's true. If so, I really am at a loss why distilleries are addicted to this process, as they do it more often and for less and less actual reason. Every time someone spews a "legitimate" reason to do it (as they did when they said it's only done at low ABVs), distilleries themselves blow that up as many bottled-in-bonds (50%) are chill filtered.
WTRB is a great whiskey don't get me wrong but this is highly, HIGHLY unnecessary, yet costly. Nevertheless I'm sure someone will come along and defend it.
As a Kentuckian, I’m sorry that we export a bunch of cheap low abv bourbon. I’m extremely proud of my native spirit and Rare Breed is a legendary bottle. Wild Turkey has that sour thing going on and I’d say it’s yeast strain is what gives that characteristic
Turkey 101 12-year is my preference. The only bourbon I own.
Asda seems to have the WT 101 on offer atm for £25. No connection...
I believe this one of the few times where you guys get the better American offering than we do in the states. I believe the international and travel versions are non- chillfiltered, whereas the domestic version is. Why they do this, I do not know. Ironically, the Rare Breed Rye is non-chillfiltered domestically. Go figure.
Mash bill 75% corn, 12% malted barley and 13% rye, not being a bourbon boff (yet) is that high rye content?
No, that is not what is called "high rye" bourbon. That is in the realm of normal or standard for a ryed bourbon. There isn't firm agreement about what percentage qualifies as a minimum for the "high rye" designation, but most bourbon people tend to think of it as 18% or 20% and higher.
Try to find the non-chill filtered version! ❤
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