Wild Turkey has released Master’s Keep Cornerstone Rye, the oldest rye yet to come from the Lawrenceburg distillery.
The Cornerstone name comes as a nod to the rye whiskey recipe that remained a staple for Wild Turkey even after rye fell out of fashion following Prohibition. Rye whiskey has made a comeback in recent years, with the total annual production for the industry soaring from 100,000 barrels in 2010 to over 1,000,000 today.
“Wild Turkey was one of the few legacy distilleries that remained loyal to crafting Rye even as vodka and gin became the new, hot thing,” said Eddie Russell, Master Distiller in a press release. “Cornerstone Rye celebrates our continued commitment to the grain. As my own son Bruce has reminded me given his devotion to rye in working with the bartender community, it’s a fundamental part of our history.”
For Cornerstone, Russell chose a selection of nine- to 11-year old-ryes he had aging in #4 alligator char barrels. The rye whiskey was bottled at 109 proof and packaged in a giftable green and gold box.
On the palate, the distillery tells us to look for “notes of warm vanilla, black pepper and toasted rye, followed by a cascade of honey and baked apple.” The finish is “bold, crisp and clean, with lingering notes of sweet spice and oak.”
This is the fourth release in the Master’s Keep series, and the first rye. Previous releases include last year’s sherry cask-finished Master’s Keep Revival and 2017’s Master’s Keep Decades.
Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Cornerstone Rye is available now in highly limited quantities for a suggested retail price of around $175.