This whiskey is made with the minimum percentage of rye to qualify as a rye whiskey: the mash bill is 51% rye, 37% corn and 12% barley. No age statement is given.
Nose: sweet notes predominate on the nose, with relatively little of the spiciness often associated with rye. Vanilla and honey are immediately noticeable, followed by spiced apple cider and toast.
Palate: quite oaky, with a fair amount of honey sweetness and some charcoal. The hint of spice found on the nose is barely noticeable on the palate.
Finish: the finish is somewhat astringent, not overly long, and dominated by woody notes like charcoal and oak.
Must Read Stories
Overall, this is a rather woody, fairly sweet whiskey, which I probably wouldn’t have identified as a rye in a blind test (probably not surprising, given the low-rye mash bill). While not unpleasant by any means, it lacks the punch and complexity I like in a rye whiskey; there’s simply nothing particularly interesting about it. It’s decent for mixing, but I’d just as soon pick up a bottle of Wild Turkey 101, which also retails for around 20 bucks, for that purpose.
I give Wild Turkey Rye 81 a score of 77.
[graphiq id=”5U4XFL2wKuF” title=”Wild Turkey 81 Rye Overview ” width=”600″ height=”514″ url=”https://w.graphiq.com/w/5U4XFL2wKuF” link=”https://whiskey.underthelabel.com/l/753/Wild-Turkey-81-Rye” link_text=”Wild Turkey 81 Rye Overview | UnderTheLabel”]
