New Wild Turkey Master's Keep, bottled at 86.8 proof

[dcbt]

I have been wondering about that one too. It has certainly languished on the shelf here it would seem. Makes me wonder if the decision, if true, to return the Hochstadter Rock and Rye to its original 98 proof has anything to do with this. At least some of the rye used in this is from the same source as LS&B albeit a good bit younger of course.

A shame as it is in a nice bottle. But when compared to Whistlepig it seems to be lacking just a bit. I would much rather by the LS&B than Whistlepig based in part on the phony marketing of the piggy and a slightly lower price, say sub $100, might tip the scale a good bit for me.

I see LS&B everywhere as well, so much so that when I saw it behind the glass at one place I did a double take, thinking it's silly to lock that one up. No pun intended.

[GaryT]

I see LS&B everywhere as well, so much so that when I saw it behind the glass at one place I did a double take, thinking it's silly to lock that one up. No pun intended.

I think the lowest price I've seen is still $110+, but I swear I've passed on the exact same bottles locally for nearly a year now with no change in price ($115-$120).

[Tucker]

I think the lowest price I've seen is still $110+, but I swear I've passed on the exact same bottles locally for nearly a year now with no change in price ($115-$120).

There's a store near me that's had a single bottle of LS&B behind glass at $99 for several weeks. It could be that they sell one and replace it, though, but it does look lonely. This store also has some expensive whiskey stored horizontally, so I only purchase screw-cap stuff from them.

[mbroo5880i]

Our local Costco had LS&B for $85 for several months. It is gone now. I don't believe they sold it all because the amount on the shelf didn't seem to change much. My guess is that they sent it to another store to see if it might sell better in another area.

[ebo]

As long as WT101 and WTRB is still offered and not changed, I don't care what they do with the rest of it... or what they charge for it.

[TunnelTiger]

As long as WT101 and WTRB is still offered and not changed, I don't care what they do with the rest of it... or what they charge for it.

Amen!!!!!!!!!!!x18

[GaryT]

There's a store near me that's had a single bottle of LS&B behind glass at $99 for several weeks. It could be that they sell one and replace it, though, but it does look lonely. This store also has some expensive whiskey stored horizontally, so I only purchase screw-cap stuff from them.

I hate seeing that - when in Miami I almost bought a nice bottle until I noticed they had Macallan 25 laying on its side on purpose.

[The Black Tot]

Our local Costco had LS&B for $85 for several months. It is gone now. I don't believe they sold it all because the amount on the shelf didn't seem to change much. My guess is that they sent it to another store to see if it might sell better in another area.

I certainly would have bought a few at 85. If anyone sees this on closeout such as this, be sure and PM me!

[meadeweber]

Looks like we have gotten some more information on this product as well as some other WT releases: http://gobourbon.com/wild-turkey-summer-releases/

Many posts in this thread are complaining about the low proof. Many have assumed that this was achieved by the addition of water. This article seems to state otherwise. Master's Keep is barrel proof at 86.8 proof. Does that change the thinking of any of you who were complaining about the low proof? Is barrel proof 86.8 proof necessarily better than 86.8 proof achieved through the addition of water?

[Richnimrod]

Well, the article (link posted below, Thanx, meadeweber!) says it's NOT chill-filtered. That's a plus.

It's rather hard to believe the barrels lost that much proof (19%+-). Then again, from the lips of Eddie Russel, I've heard that the Turkey has had issues with low-proof results of aging. Now are those lips telling the God's-honest-truth? Who can say? It may be a consistent marketing fib to allay the issues of us folx who dislike water added to their Bourbon & lower proofs. Then again, it may be an actual issue they're facing at WT.

I'd be slow to pull the trigger at $150 for the low-proof of this, even at 17-years. After confirming the value through a taste at some point, I may alter that stance.

[LCWoody]

Well, at least this story sounds better than, "your peanut butter fell in my chocolate, no your chocolate fell in my peanut butter."

[bourbonfoot]

Hahaha, color me skeptical. I'm not buying anything these guys say at this point.

[amg]

I've got a barrel-proof SAOS bourbon that's only 99.8 proof, and it's only 9 years old, so at 17 I could see a barrel dropping that much.

It's interesting to note that there's a 17-year-old 103 proof Russell's Reserve coming out this year too. Maybe they could have gotten the overall proof up by batching them together and doing a single release.

If the Master's Keep is supposed to be $150, I can only imagine the price of the RR 1998.

[Ishad]

It says the 1998 rr will be $250. Personally I'm looking forward to the rye.

[jeffrey r]

It says the 1998 rr will be $250. Personally I'm looking forward to the rye.

Personally, I'm looking forward to the WT 101 and WTRB I have at home already... Oh, and the unopened Tradition that I have as well that cost $99.

[flahute]

Being at 86.8 proof naturally instead of being watered down is a plus for sure but I still have trouble with $150. Only way to know for sure is to taste it. Now to find a bar that will have it and not charge $40+ a pour for it.

[Paddy]

Sigh....... it's just easier for me to stick with 101, RB and RRSB...

[flahute]

Sigh....... it's just easier for me to stick with 101, RB and RRSB...

This is why you and I get along. Agree 100%.

[squire]

. . . . Master's Keep is barrel proof at 86.8 proof. Does that change the thinking of any of you who were complaining about the low proof? Is barrel proof 86.8 proof necessarily better than 86.8 proof achieved through the addition of water?

Wow, talk about bad luck, you have to feel sorry for those folks at Wild Turkey. First their Bourbon gets dumped in with the Rye and they have to sell off a whole whopping lot of it as a mistake and now this. All the barrels of Master's Keep came in light on proof, I mean every last tinkling one of those 100,000 barrels which is odd because in the hundred years or so Old Crow matured whisky in those same warehouses this never happened. I swear, WT must be snake bit or something.

Guys, seriously? 86.8 is a standard industry dilution point and the corporate employee dribbling out these tidbits of information is reading directly from a talking points sheet approved by the marketing division back at company headquarters.

[Paddy]

This is why you and I get along. Agree 100%.

Yes Steve, there is just too much d@#* good bourbon out there to spend time chasing unicorn fart one off's (let alone spending inordinate amounts of money for them).

[amg]

Wow, talk about bad luck, you have to feel sorry for those folks at Wild Turkey. First their Bourbon gets dumped in with the Rye and they have to sell off a whole whopping lot of it as a mistake and now this. All the barrels of Master's Keep came in light on proof, I mean every last tinkling one of those 100,000 barrels which is odd because in the hundred years or so Old Crow matured whisky in those same warehouses this never happened. I swear, WT must be snake bit or something.

Guys, seriously? 86.8 is a standard industry dilution point and the corporate employee dribbling out these tidbits of information is reading directly from a talking points sheet approved by the marketing division back at company headquarters.

It's almost as magical as the fact that every bottle of WTRB at "barrel proof" was exactly 108.2 proof for several years.

[flahute]

Wow, talk about bad luck, you have to feel sorry for those folks at Wild Turkey. First their Bourbon gets dumped in with the Rye and they have to sell off a whole whopping lot of it as a mistake and now this. All the barrels of Master's Keep came in light on proof, I mean every last tinkling one of those 100,000 barrels which is odd because in the hundred years or so Old Crow matured whisky in those same warehouses this never happened. I swear, WT must be snake bit or something.

Guys, seriously? 86.8 is a standard industry dilution point and the corporate employee dribbling out these tidbits of information is reading directly from a talking points sheet approved by the marketing division back at company headquarters.

Thanks for pointing that out squire. I was curious about that 86.8 because I've seen it on so many other bourbons and knew it was a standard. Did not know about the history of Old Crow however.

[Josh]

It's funny how the proof out of the barrel keeps getting lower and lower every time I hear it.

The story about it getting aged at Old Crow (or Old Taylor) actually makes it more appealing to me. I wonder where the second brick warehouse was? Only a few brick ones left so that's a pretty short list of possibilities.

I don't buy the 86.8° being barrel proof, either. It's a hell of a coincidence that it just happened to come out at the same proof as an old expression of theirs.

I still think this is a pass for me, but I will say that my rage has turned more to sadness at the current state of WT limited editions.

[TunnelTiger]

Guys, seriously? 86.8 is a standard industry dilution point and the corporate employee dribbling out these tidbits of information is reading directly from a talking points sheet approved by the marketing division back at company headquarters.

I'd be willing to bet that the distilling/bottleing team are not getting along with the marketing team lately.

[squire]

It's almost as magical as the fact that every bottle of WTRB at "barrel proof" was exactly 108.2 proof for several years.

Barrel proof at different ages no less.