Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey
Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey is a 750mL Kentucky straight rye whiskey bottled at 112.2 proof (56.1% ABV) — uncut at barrel proof and non-chill filtered — by the Wild Turkey Distilling Co. in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Master Distiller Eddie Russell builds it as a small-batch blend of 4-, 6- and 8-year-old ryes from the house's rye mash of 51% rye, 37% corn and 12% malted barley, aged in new charred American oak. It is the first permanent super-premium rye in the Wild Turkey family, and it is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Proof: 112.2 proof (56.1% ABV), barrel proof, uncut
- Size: 750mL
- Blend: 4-, 6- and 8-year-old Kentucky straight ryes
- Mash: 51% rye, 37% corn, 12% malted barley
- Process: Non-chill filtered, new charred American oak
- Origin: Wild Turkey Distilling Co., Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
The Rare Breed Treatment, for Rye
Rare Breed Bourbon proved Wild Turkey drinkers wanted the whiskey the way the Russells taste it in the rickhouse — straight from the barrel, no water, no chill filtration. Rare Breed Rye brings the same philosophy to the family's rye: Eddie Russell marries barrels at three ages, letting the 4-year rye bring the bright spice, the 6-year the body and the 8-year the oak depth, and bottles the blend at the brand's published 112.2 proof. It is the permanent flagship of Wild Turkey's rye range. See the rest of the family on the Wild Turkey vendor page and across our rye whiskey collection.
Tasting Notes
The brand's notes open sweet — caramel apple, honey and vanilla over rye-grain spice and charred oak; the palate moves from caramel and fruit into wood and rye spice, and the finish is smooth and long, with lingering spice, dried fruit and fading warmth.
How to Enjoy
Neat with a few drops of water — at 112.2 proof a splash lets the spice unfold without dulling it — or in a barrel-strength Manhattan. More high-proof rye is in our whisky collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What proof is Rare Breed Rye?
112.2 proof (56.1% ABV) — the fixed proof Wild Turkey publishes for this bottling, bottled uncut at barrel proof and non-chill filtered.
How old is the whiskey in Rare Breed Rye?
It is a blend of 4-, 6- and 8-year-old Kentucky straight rye whiskeys; the bottle carries no single age statement.
What is the mash bill of Wild Turkey rye?
Wild Turkey's rye recipe is 51% rye, 37% corn and 12% malted barley — the legal minimum rye, which keeps the spice assertive but lets corn sweetness show.
Barrel-proof rye, blended across three ages — order Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
