There is a lot to like about Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Series Unforgotten on paper. At 52.5 ABV) and $200 per 750ml, let us see if it lives up to expectations.
Nose
Lovely waves of amber and copper with a medium high viscosity. The nose doesnt leap out at you as aggressively as Wild Turkey often can. Rather, Unforgotten teases out playfully, leading with caramel and honey undergirded by subtle stewed pear and peppery notes of caraway and cinnamon. Time in the glass saw the caramel retreat and the honey notes become more prominent around a gorgeous lemon curd bouquet. After several hours in the glass, the fruit subsided and the wood came to the fore, with the oak and vanilla wrapped in a gently smoky cloud of leather. Caramel dipped dried fig and dried apricot flavors, redolent of a gourmet fruit cake, leap out and then give way to some sweet oak and subtle anise before those caraway notes that so playfully dotted the nose linger on the palate with a hint of chocolate and tannin. If there is any place where I found myself wishing for more it was the finish. It is not clipped by any means, and is in fact medium-long, but with each sip I kept finding its last notes slipping away from my palate sooner than I hoped, like a charming date who abruptly exits dinner in the middle of an enchanting conversation.
Palate
There is simply no way around it, Unforgotten is an exquisite product. While it is fair to say the overall experience is rye dominant, this is an exemplary model of balance in the evolving world of bourbon and rye blending. Whiskey aficionados will feel theyve gotten their moneys worth if they can find it at the $200 SRP, and collectors should find that this is a bottle whose value will only continue to rise over time. If they can keep from enjoying it themselves, of course.
Finish
Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by Whiskeyful or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.
The Bottom Line
Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Series Unforgotten is outstanding — one of those bottles that reminds you why you fell in love with whiskey in the first place. If you see it at $200 per 750ml, do not hesitate. This one earns a permanent spot on the shelf.
