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Whiskey Review: Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Series Unforgotten

We review Wild Turkey Master's Keep Unforgotten, a blend of 13-year-old bourbon and eight and nine-year-old ryes, that's the seventh iteration of its highly lauded Master's Keep Limited Edition series.

OVERALL RATING

9
$200.00
  • Jason McBeth, hospitality expert and consultant with 15 years' experience in fine dining beverage programs.
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Wild Turkey Master's Keep Unforgotten review

Tasting Notes

About:

105 proof (52.5 ABV). Mash Bill(s): 75% Corn 13% Rye 12% Malted Barley (Bourbon)/ 37% Corn 51% Rye 12% Malted Barley (Ryes). Age: 13-year-old Bourbon, Eight and Nine-year-old Ryes. Price $200 per 750ml.
Appearance:
Lovely waves of amber and copper with a medium high viscosity.
Nose:
The nose doesn’t 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.
Palate:
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.
Finish:
Comments:
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 they’ve gotten their money’s 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.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash 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.

Jason McBeth

Jason McBeth, a seasoned hospitality professional and consultant, boasts nearly 15 years of experience curating fine dining beverage programs. His impressive resume includes collaborations with six Michelin Star and/or James Beard award-winning restaurants. As a consultant, McBeth has conceptualized and implemented distinctive cocktail programs across diverse markets, ranging from Los Angeles to Lincoln, Nebraska, and Richmond, Virginia. Beyond the realm of spirits and hospitality, his passions lie in poetry and basketball. When not indulging in his professional pursuits, McBeth finds solace in shucking oysters for his wife, accompanied by a bottle or two of grower Champagne.

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