Introduction
Welcome back to Part VI of the Fall Limited Release Bourbon Series here at the Whiskey Jar. It has been a busy quarter at work—Chapter 11 bankruptcy work never sleeps, unfortunately—but I’ve finally managed to review this bottle I’ve been anticipating most all year and have had on my shelf for about a month.
Regular readers know my deep affection for the Master’s Keep series. Over the last decade, I have personally owned and enjoyed five different expressions from this line. Each one has told a different story about the Russell family’s stewardship of the distillery, from the ryed-bourbon blend of Unforgotten (which I reviewed here back in 2022) to the 17-Year Bottled-in-Bond, a bottle I owned and truly enjoyed for its depth and structure. Basically I have bought a bottle every year since 2020, skipping only the 2024 Triumph release, because it was a rye and not a bourbon. I like rye fine; I am just not willing to shell out big bucks for it. I do have a bar liter of Wild Turkey Rye on my bar.
But today’s bottle carries a heavier weight than prior bottlings. This is Master’s Keep Beacon, and as Wild Turkey has announced, it is the final release in this legendary series. It feels fitting that the curtain call is a collaboration between Master Distiller Eddie Russell and his son, Bruce, marking the first time Bruce’s signature appears on a Master’s Keep bottle. It is a passing of the torch—or a lighting of the beacon, if you will.
I should also note for context that I have a bottle of the Wild Turkey Generations release on my shelf (although not much is left). While Generations is a similar high-proof collaboration between the Russells (Jimmy, Eddie, and Bruce), it is technically distinct from the Master’s Keep lineage. I am eager to see how Beacon compares to that powerhouse later this evening.
The Specs
Wild Turkey has gone out on a high note with the specifications here. Beacon is a blend of 10-year and 16-year-old bourbons. The 10-year stocks were distilled during Bruce’s early days working alongside his grandfather Jimmy, while the 16-year stocks were hand-selected by Eddie.
- Proof: 118 (59% ABV) — The highest proof in the history of the Master’s Keep series.
- Filtration: Non-Chill Filtered.
- Price: ~$300 MSRP.
I cannot stress enough how happy I am to see the words “Non-Chill Filtered” on this bottle. In my opinion, non-chill filtered Wild Turkey is vastly superior to their chill-filtered bottlings. That oily, viscous mouthfeel is essential to the experience, and stripping it away for cosmetic clarity is a crime against good whiskey. I’m glad the Russells kept this one pure for the finale.
Tasting Notes
Appearance:
The color is a vibrant reddish mahogany—not as dark as the King of Kentucky I sampled in my last review, which makes sense given this is a slightly younger whiskey. On the swirl, the whiskey presents a big, thick film with long, slow legs. The oiliness is immediately apparent and welcome.
Nose:
Lovely notes of cherries, vanilla, and oak. The cherry note is particularly inviting—candied, with a hint of dark fruit depth. There’s that typical richness that comes with non-chill filtering; the nose is full and round rather than thin or spirited.
Palate:
Here’s where I found the most compelling evidence that this is a fitting finale to the series. The flavor profile is very reminiscent of the 17-Year Bottled-in-Bond Master’s Keep—with vanilla, toffee, and candied dark cherries dominating. You can definitely tell this is Wild Turkey’s signature profile, and that profile is precisely why I am a regular drinker of Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel. There’s also a lot of wonderful oak here, lending structure and weight without becoming overwhelming. The 118 proof delivers intensity, but the whiskey is superbly smooth; the alcohol doesn’t bite or burn despite the proof. The non-chill filtering is doing heavy lifting here—the mouthfeel is viscous, almost syrupy, and it clings to the palate in the best way.
Finish:
The cherries continue—dark, stewed cherries with a hint of leather. A nice dose of baking spice and clove takes over mid-finish, following through with wonderful oak that never turns sharp or astringent. The finish is long and warming, fading gracefully rather than abruptly.
Final Thoughts
This is straight bourbon done extremely well, with some exceptional barrel aging and a perfectly balanced oak profile. Ten years of annual Master’s Keep releases, and they’ve ended with a winner. Whether it’s the finest bottle in the series—that’s a matter of personal preference and cellar allegiance—is less important than this: Beacon proves that Wild Turkey still knows how (even without Jimmy) to make a limited release that justifies its place in a collector’s cabinet.
If you can find one at MSRP, don’t hesitate. This is the last chance to own a brand new Master’s Keep. I poured a dram of Generations just to compare, and Beacon is definitely better to my palate. With Eddie and Bruce at the helm at Wild Turkey, limited editions are going to be older and oakier, so the future looks bright for Wild Turkey limited releases even though Master’s Keep has ended. That, and with a standard release of an 8 year old Wild Turkey 101 after the Jimmy Russell 75th Anniversary Edition, the “younger” Russells’ preference for older bourbon is coming to the fore. And that is a great sign for bourbon drinkers across the board. I think Generations and Beacon signal the changing of this guard.
Thanks for reading this installment of my fall limited release bourbon series on whiskeyjar.blog. If you managed to snag a limited release bottle this season, let me know in the comments—or better yet, crack it open. Whiskey this good is meant to be drunk and shared with friends. Happy New Year!