Wild Turkey Rare Breed

A Bone-Dry Manhattan Riff You Need to Try!

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Welcome to Episode 95 of Thirsty Thursday Cocktails on Your Bourbon Journey! Tonight, Rebecca crafts “The November Hearth“—a bold, brooding, and bone-dry Manhattan variation designed as the ultimate fireside sipper for crisp autumn evenings.

By pairing the uncut 116.8 proof muscle of Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon with the bittersweet alpine depths of Bigallet China-China Amer Liqueur, this build balances heavy alligator char, leather, and vanilla with dark roasted orange peel, gentian root, and cinchona bark. To ensure zero cloying sweetness, Carpano Dry Vermouth brings crisp wine acidity and structure, while cardamom and orange bitters layer in exotic, warming spice.

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Next week on Episode 96: Get ready for “The Green Rickhouse”—an herbaceous, 140-proof absinthe-rinsed kinship riff on the historic New Orleans Sazerac!

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📋 THE RECIPE

  • 2.0 oz Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon (116.8 Proof)
  • 0.75 oz Bigallet China-China Amer Liqueur
  • 0.50 oz Carpano Dry Vermouth
  • 2 dashes Fee Brothers Cardamom Cocktail Bitters
  • 1 dash Angostura Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Expressed fresh orange peel & Luxardo brandied cherry

👀 TASTING NOTES:

  • Aroma: Fresh sweet orange oils, toasted cardamom, pipe tobacco, charred oak staves, and a faint kiss of dark chocolate.
  • Palate: Robust, oily bourbon warmth and rich baking spice transitioning into roasted bitter citrus, alpine herbs, and cacao—kept bone-dry by the vermouth.
  • Finish: Long, warming, and complex with lingering barrel char, subtle orange pith, and a glowing cardamom warmth.

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NOTE: The spirits and items in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the producers for this review.

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Our 2-Year Anniversary: The Story Behind the ‘Double Barrel Bond’

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Welcome to Episode 93 of Thirsty Thursday Cocktails on Your Bourbon Journey! Tonight is an extraordinary milestone: Wayne and Rebecca are celebrating their 2-Year Anniversary of reviewing whiskey and sharing craft cocktail recipes on camera!

To mark the occasion, we created a powerhouse, spirit-forward split-base cocktail: Two by Two (Double Barrel Bond). We combine two readily available, uncut, barrel-proof heavy hitters from the same iconic Lawrenceburg distillery—Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon (116.8 proof) and Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye (112.2 proof)—for the ultimate “Bourye” balance.

We pair the deep alligator char and rich vanilla of Rare Breed Bourbon with the bold pepper, baking spice, and mint of Rare Breed Rye. Then, we balance that raw barrel proof with rich Demerara syrup, decadent Rivulet Pecan Liqueur, a dual split of Angostura and Peychaud’s bitters, and a glassware mist of double-platinum Neeley Family Distillery Loathing in KY Absinthe. Served neat in chilled Wild Turkey rocks glasses, this celebratory double pour delivers roasted butter pecan, bright citrus oils, sweet caramel weight, and a structured, spicy finish.

A huge thank you to our incredible community for helping us pass 300,000 views, 10,000 watch hours, and nearly 1,500 subscribers. We couldn’t have reached two years without your support!

Please remember to always drink responsibly and enjoy your Thirsty Thursday!

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Cocktail Recipe: Two by Two (Double Barrel Bond)
Serves 2 (Double-Serve Mixing Glass Build)

The Base Whiskeys:
2.0 oz Wild Turkey Rare Breed Kentucky Straight Bourbon (116.8 Proof)
2.0 oz Wild Turkey Rare Breed Straight Rye Whiskey (112.2 Proof)

The Modifiers & Sweeteners:
0.50 oz Rich Demerara Syrup
0.50 oz Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur

The Accents & Glass Prep:
2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
6 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
3–4 spritzes Neeley Family Distillery Loathing in KY Absinthe (via atomizer)
Fresh lemon peel (oils expressed and discarded)

Tasting Notes:

  • Aroma: Bright expressed lemon oils and herbal star anise upfront, giving way to roasted butter pecan, toasted oak staves, and faint cherry-cola spice.
  • Taste: Velvety, spirit-forward, and rich. Opens with sweet praline, caramelized brown sugar, and toasted nuts before the uncut rye peppery bite, cinnamon bark, and citrus zest seize the mid-palate.
  • Finish: Long, warm, and structured. Lingering pecan praline, charred oak, gentle anise, and warming baking spice that never turns cloying.

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🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

NOTE: The spirits and items in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the producers for this review.

#Bourbon #Cocktails #WildTurkey #RareBreed #WhiskeyTube #CraftCocktails #BourbonCocktail #RyeWhiskey #ThirstyThursday #Mixology #WildTurkeyRareBreed #DrinkResponsibly #CocktailRecipe #Sazerac #WhiskeyLovers

Sipping on History: Wild Turkey Honey, Old vs. New

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Vintage vs. Modern: Wild Turkey Honey Liqueur Showdown!

Step back in time with us as we open a rare bottle of Wild Turkey Liqueur with Honey from the 1990s! We’re putting this vintage 60-proof spirit head-to-head against today’s popular Wild Turkey American Honey to see how this iconic brand has evolved.

Join us for a fascinating tasting as we compare the flavor, aroma, and character of these two honey-infused bourbons. Will the 90s-era bottle deliver a cloying, syrupy blast of nostalgia, or a more subtle, bourbon-forward experience? How does today’s higher-proof American Honey stand up?

We’re diving deep into the history behind the legendary Jimmy Russell’s “honey bourbon” to discover the differences that 30 years can make.

In this video, we explore:

  • The Proof Test: Does the higher 71 proof of American Honey make it less sweet and more balanced than the vintage 60-proof version?
  • A Tale of Two Honeys: How do the honey notes themselves compare? Is one fresher or more complex than the other?
  • The Bourbon Factor: Can we taste more of the classic Wild Turkey bourbon base in one over the other?
  • The Legacy: A look at how a beloved product can evolve while staying true to its roots.

Whether you’re a bourbon aficionado, a Wild Turkey fan, or just curious about how spirits change over time, this is a tasting you won’t want to miss.

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Join us as we explore how this unique, vintage whiskey holds up after all these years. This is your chance to experience a genuine taste of whiskey history with us. Don’t miss out – hit play now!

Cheers! 🥂

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Purchased: 01/31/25 at Revival Vintage Spirits https://revivalky.com/ 

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NOTE: The spirits in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.