Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Cornerstone Rye Review

About – Master’s Keep Cornerstone Rye is the fourth release in the Master’s Keep series, and the oldest rye whiskey ever released by Wild Turkey. For this one-of-a-kind Limited Edition, Eddie Russell hand-picked and set aside a secret lot of his oldest and boldest rye whiskey barrels, all aged from 9 to 11 years, then used his nearly four decades of experience to create a perfectly balanced spirit. Aromas of vanilla, black pepper and toasted rye give way to cascading flavors of honey and baked apple before a long and lingering finish of spice and oak. I have seen Cornerstone Rye priced between $169 and $199 in my area. It is a limited release so retail price can be expected to vary greatly. It is bottled at 109 proof.

Nose – All of the components of apple pie are here, apples, baking spice, brown sugar, vanilla, honey, ginger, and a touch of cherry.

Palate – Very complex and spicy with white pepper, ginger, rye spice, a good helping of oak, honey. It is oily on the back end with one of the longest finishes I have experienced jumping between oak, spice, and clove.

Score – A+

Verdict – I can’t think a better rye that I have ever encountered. Cornerstone rye is a very complex whiskey that should definitely be reserved for more experienced drinkers as there are a lot of nuances here that probably wouldn’t be picked up by a beginner. This may very well end up being my choice for whiskey of the year. It is a limited release, but I have seen it on the shelf in at least 3 stores that I can think of. I feel like the Master’s Keep series is definitely slept on by a lot people, and this is by far the strongest release in the series. If you can find a bottle at a reasonable price pick it up and don’t think twice.