Wild Turkey Master’s Keep: A Comprehensive Guide To Each Release

Founded in 1869 by Thomas McCarthy in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, Wild Turkey began its journey as the "Old Moore Distillery." In 1891, the Ripy family acquired the distillery, marking the start of a legacy. Under their ownership, Wild Turkey gained renown for its exceptional bourbon craftsmanship.

Jimmy Russell, the son of Thomas McCarthy, joined the company as a production supervisor in the 1940s, later becoming Master Distiller. In 1954, Wild Turkey introduced its flagship bourbon, Wild Turkey 101, which quickly became a favorite for its bold flavor.

Despite a fire in the 1970s that devastated much of its distillery, Wild Turkey rebuilt and modernized its facilities, continuing its tradition of quality production. Jimmy Russell's son, Eddie Russell, joined the company in 1981, furthering the family's legacy. Together, they upheld traditional production methods while innovating to meet modern demands. 

Throughout the years, the brand has expanded its portfolio, introducing expressions like Wild Turkey Rare Breed and Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit. However, no releases have captured the imagination of whiskey enthusiasts quite like Wild Turkey’s Master’s Keep series. A prestigious collection of whiskeys crafted by Wild Turkey’s Master Distiller Eddie Russell, each release is unique, showcasing the artistry, innovation, and dedication of the renowned Kentucky distiller. First introduced in 2015 with the Master's Keep One, the series is comprised of 9 limited edition releases which ran up until 2023 with the final installment, Master's Keep Voyage.

Master’s Keep 17 Year Old

The inaugural release in the series, Masters’s Keep 17 Year Old embodies the essence of time-honored bourbon making. Released in 2015, this limited edition bourbon whiskey has been crafted from 17 year old barrels hand-selected by Master Distiller Eddie Russell, producing a deep and complex flavor profile. Bottled at 86.8-proof with rich notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak, it offers a smooth and velvety texture, culminating in a luxurious drinking experience. With attention to the smallest details brought by each and every barrel, Eddie Russell has truly crafted a one-of-a-kind bourbon with this 17 year old masterpiece.

Master’s Keep Decades

Released in 2017, Master's Keep Decades is a celebration of the art of blending. Aged between 10 and 20 years, this bourbon offers a symphony of flavors, including dark fruit, spice, and toasted oak. The meticulous blending process results in a harmonious balance that captivates the palate. Bottled at 104 proof, its complexity and depth make it a standout addition to the series.

Master's Keep 1894

The third installment in Master Distiller Eddie Russell’s limited series of rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskies, Master's Keep 1894 honors the year Rickhouse A - Wild Turkey’s oldest rickhouse - was built. Released in 2017 exclusively to Australia, Wild Turkey's biggest export market, this limited edition bourbon whiskey is crafted from a blend of bourbons aged six, eleven, and thirteen years, all of which have been exclusively stored inside Rickhouse A. Bottled at 90 proof, Master's Keep 1894 delivers a fruity burst of flavor mixed with an oaky spice often absent from younger bourbons. A fitting tribute to Wild Turkey's oldest rickhouse.

Master's Keep Revival

Master's Keep Revival is a homage to a bourbon pioneered by Jimmy Russell. Crafted from a blend of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey aged between 12 and 15 years, Master’s Keep Revival is elegantly finished in 20 year old Oloroso sherry casks, each hand selected by Master Distiller Eddie Russell. With notes of caramelized fruit, nutmeg, and oak, it offers a sophisticated drinking experience that delights the senses. Bottled at 101 proof, it strikes a perfect balance between sweetness and spice, elevating the bourbon to new heights.

Master’s Keep Cornerstone

The fourth release in the series, Master’s Keep Cornerstone is also the oldest rye whiskey ever released by Wild Turkey. Bottled at 109 proof, this limited edition is crafted from some of Wild Turkey’s oldest and boldest rye whiskey barrels, all aged between 9 and 11 years, finished in heavily toasted and lightly charred barrels, resulting in a robust flavor profile with hints of honey, baked apple and toasted rye. 

Master’s Keep Bottled-in-Bond

Released in 2020, this 17 year old Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey is designated Bottled-in-Bond, a historical certification that guarantees a strict production process. To carry the Bottled in Bond label, a bourbon must be produced in one distilling season from one distillery, aged in a federally bonded warehouse and bottled at a strict 100 proof. The result is often remarkable, and Master’s Keep 17 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is no exception to the rule. A scintillating expression of smoothness, expect aromatic oakiness, vanilla, and toffee, before grainy cereal notes, subtle leather and moderate spice come to the fore.

Master’s Keep One

Inspired by his father’s love of mid-aged bourbons, Master Distiller Eddie Russell crafted Master’s Keep One, a blend of bourbons aged between 9 and 14 years, with an additional maturation in toasted and charred oak barrels. Bottled at 101 proof, the result is a strong amber spirit, layered with sweet honey, subtle spice and faint herbal notes, before giving way to rich, milky coffee, faint oak, vanilla and caramelized nutmeg, culminating in a long, toasted finish.

Master’s Keep Unforgotten

The second rye release in the series after Cornerstone, Master’s Keep Unforgotten is a masterful blend of bourbon and rye premium whiskeys. The idea of marrying Wild Turkey straight bourbon and rye whiskies was born from a happy accident in 2010, when a crew member accidentally mixed a batch of young rye with a barrel of mature bourbon. But master distiller Eddie Russell liked the result so much, that he decided to bottle it and release it as Forgiven. Over a decade later, Eddie Russell decided to craft Unforgotten, a blend of 13 year old bourbon and 9 year old rye whiskeys, finished in rye casks for a secondary aging period in the pre-prohibition Rickhouse B – the favorite rickhouse of Eddie’s father, Master Distiller Jimmy Russell. 

Master’s Keep Voyage

The last release in the series, Master’s Keep Voyage is a tropically influenced Wild Turkey, finished with a secondary maturation period in Jamaican rum casks. The first Wild Turkey to feature a rum cask finish, Master Distiller Eddie Russell crafted Voyage in collaboration with Dr. Joy Spence, the renowned Master Blender of Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum. Spence hand-selected some of his finest casks to best complement the bold top notes and rich caramel undertones of Wild Turkey's extra-aged bourbons. The casks then made the voyage from Jamaica to Kentucky, where Eddie Russell filled them with a hand-selected batch of 10-year-old bourbon. The result is a one-of-a-kind 106 proof whiskey bursting with a palate of fruits, caramel and aged oak, and a warm, long-lasting finish of chocolate and spice.