Wild Turkey Rye

NCABC decided to put Wild Turkey Rye on sale for 20 beans so I figured why not give it a whirl. I’d heard good things so I figured an 81 proof rye might be just what the doctor ordered. I was all set to have a wonderful rye experience when I brought the glass to my nose and was immediately struck by a huge fruity aromatic. This really was unexpected as rye was what I thought would be most prominent. Instead a nose of mango and papaya was most notable. This was followed by low wafts of alcohol and pepper spice. I thought maybe this was a fluke, but the next time I poured a glass I got the same thing. Even now as the bottle nears completion that’s the main aroma. The flavor was not nearly as fruity, but still had fruit aspects of mango. There was a low peppery rye spice, a light brown sugar, a bit of a corn syrup flavor, and a final impression of low alcohol and sweetness. Finding much rye at all in this was difficult. For me this is a drinkable bottle, but not much of a rye. Unless you like a fruity whiskey you might want to pass on this one.