During this journey, there have been several bottles of bourbon and whisky that I have placed on my Bourbon Release Calendar page that I often know I will never see or be given a chance to purchase. This bottle today is one of those bottles, and I am very excited that my favorite local store was able to procure a bottle and I was given the chance to purchase it. From the iconic and well-known brand Wild Turkey, today’s review is of Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Voyage.

From the Wild Turkey Bourbon website: Master’s Keep Voyage is a 106-proof expression of 10-year-old bourbon finished with a secondary maturation period in Jamaican rum casks, marking the first rum cask finish in Wild Turkey’s history. Crafted by Master Distiller Eddie Russell in partnership with Dr. Joy Spence, the renowned Master Blender of Appleton Estate rum, Voyage reflects over 80 combined years of experience in crafting exceptional spirits. This one-of-a-kind Kentucky Straight bourbon whiskey draws inspiration from the lush isle of Jamaica and showcases the expertise of two masters of their craft.

The aim with Master’s Keep Voyage was to create a unique spirit that captured the hallmarks of both bourbon and rum-making. To do so Dr. Joy Spence hand selected some of the finest casks from the iconic Jamaican rum house – casks which previously held 14-year-old pot still rum and would best complement the bold top notes and rich caramel undertones of Wild Turkey’s extra-aged bourbons. The casks were then brought to the Wild Turkey Distilling Co. in Lawrenceburg, KY, where they were filled with Eddie Russell’s own hand selected batch of 10-year-old bourbon, which had been aged in Wild Turkey’s classic No. 4 char barrels. After finishing in the Kentucky heat of a timber rickhouse, the result is a tropically influenced American icon, bursting with a palate of fruits, caramel and aged oak, and a warm, long-lasting finish of chocolate and spice.

In all honesty, I thought these Master’s Keep bottles were just a myth and only those entrenched in the industry were able to enjoy them. This was the first bottle I have seen in NoCo, actually, anywhere I have been over the past three years, and fortunately, this bottle was priced only twenty dollars over MSRP. Overall, this is the most expensive bottle I have purchased this year, but I can confidently say that this may be my bourbon of the year for 2023. By far this is the best rum-finished bourbon I have ever had, and all I can say is vanilla cream rum spice cake; fricking delicious and amazing! With that said, let’s get our taste on!

• Nose: Heavy Caramelized Sugars (Brown Sugar and Molasses), Bananas, Dehydrated Apples/Pears, Vanilla Cream, Oak, Baking Spice, and Clove
• Palate: Oak and Vanilla Cream Bomb with Subtle Hints of, Banana, Baking Spice, Clove, Black Pepper, and Caramel
• Finish: Long Colorado Winters Hug Wrapped in Oak and finished in a Vanilla Cream Rum Spice Cake!
• 2023 MSRP: $275
• 2023 National Average: $450
• Proof: 106
• My Rating: Save It! (Damn it is expensive, but this might be my bourbon of the year for 2023… and by far the best rum-finished bourbon I have ever had!)

Please remember, drinking bourbon is a personal adventure, so do not be afraid to drink it neat, with ice, or add some water. It’s your bourbon, you bought it, and you should enjoy it how you want to enjoy it!

Cheers! Prost! Sláinte!

Bourbon Bossman