Wild Turkey Forgiven

Coincidentally, on the same day I learned about Wild Turkey's upcoming release, "Unforgotten," I decided to review this bottling. "Unforgotten" is a successor to the discontinued "Forgiven," which itself is a blend of straight bourbon and straight rye. This mixture is promoted as a happy accident, hence its name. It was a difficult find, so I'll share my thoughts on whether this supposed error was truly forgivable. This particular bottle is from Batch No. 303. Nose: Vanilla and mint. Rye spice and black pepper. Caramel. Fudge. Dusty corn. Peach sweet tea. Clove, nutmeg, and oak. Palate: More peach sweet tea. Baked apple. Vanilla and caramel. Pumpernickel. Coca and tobacco smoke. Walnut, almond, and pistachio. Black licorice. Dried apricot. Rye spice, ginger, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Pistachio, walnut, vanilla, caramel, and cocoa. Peach sweet tea. Apple slices. Dill, rye spice, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. It has a moderate length. Although this is a bourbon-forward blend, I'd say the rye is equally present. In fact, the rye notes on the nose are more pronounced than the bourbon ones. It's a well-executed combination of quality whiskeys. Regarding value for money, I believe it's priced appropriately. Since I purchased this several years after it was discontinued, $63 felt like a bargain at the time. It met my expectations, so in retrospect, it was worth the effort to find.

Consumed 2 oz in a glen cairn glass. This was batch 303 (second batch). Nose: Sugar cookie, vanilla ice cream, and cinnamon. There's also Honeycrisp apple, and the floral scent of a blooming autumn apple orchard. Palate: Absolutely delightful! A balance of sweet and sour. The cinnamon stick and vanilla ice cream from the nose carry over, creating a boozy snickerdoodle. The Honeycrisp apple then shifts to a sour green apple Jolly Rancher, fading into an apple cider-like finish. Finish: Smooth (shorter with minimal burn). The finish isn't strongly pronounced but transitions seamlessly from the palate and gently fades. Some might dislike this lack of intensity. I appreciate the smooth transition from sweet bourbon to spicy rye, which fades like cider. Truly well done! Overall: This is now among my favorite Wild Turkey expressions. It captures the wonderfully sweet and bold flavors of Russell's bourbon and adds the spicy, puckering notes from WT rye, skillfully merging them into a fantastic "sweet and sour" profile! It's reminiscent of Highwest Boureye, but superior. The proof is ideal, not too strong or too weak, just right. It brings to mind the classic Reese's Peanut Butter Cup commercial: "You put your chocolate in my peanut butter!" "No, you put your peanut butter in my chocolate." Everyone benefits, resulting in an incredibly delicious creation.

I recently discovered a very old, dusty bottle of this in a tiny shop in New York City. It appears to be from 2013. This is batch 303 (curiously, it's effectively the second of only two batches). Forgiven has been discontinued for some time, so let's see what this unavailable product is like. The aroma has that distinct Wild Turkey funk (an empty, dusty peanut can), aged rye, charred oak, mint, ripe red apples, maple syrup, fresh bread, and a hint of bubble gum. The palate has a lighter mouthfeel and is a bit spicy. I detect rye, peanut can, vanilla, barrel char, and shoe leather. The finish is pleasant and on the longer side of medium. There are subtle vanilla/marshmallow notes along with rye/mint that linger at the end. This is a welcome departure from other Wild Turkey products that I've come to enjoy. It's very easy to drink. It certainly belongs to the same family, but it offers a bit more rye than the others do (except for WT Rye or 101 Rye).

I was taken aback by this spirit, not expecting a rye profile when I first tasted it, assuming it would be similar to the distillery's bourbon. It presented more like a rye than even the distillery's 101 Rye, which has a more adaptable flavor. Upon further investigation, I discovered it's a mix of bourbon and rye, similar to other inventive whiskeys like a highly praised blend from a certain distillery. Frankly, I found this particular mix somewhat dull because the bourbon notes were overpowered. While the aroma and occasional taste offered hints of vanilla and cherry, characteristic of bourbon, the profile leaned heavily into spice, dill, and sesame seed, typical of rye. Perhaps my expectation of a bourbon-forward experience contributed to my feeling underwhelmed.

If this was genuinely the result of a distillery error, it perfectly exemplifies the idea that there are no mistakes, only 'happy little accidents.' This is the finest Wild Turkey product I've had the pleasure to sample. The aroma is invitingly fruity, with cherry and navel orange, complemented by the right amount of caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream, nuttiness, and spice. It's like a dessert in a glass, yet never excessively sweet. The palate is rich and expressive, full of deliciousness like pecan pie and ice cream sundaes, with enough spice to keep it interesting. Even if the hoses at Wild Turkey weren't cleaned regularly, I'd be content if this were the outcome.

I detect hints of caramel and cinnamon in the aroma. The body shares a similarity with Russell's Reserve, possessing an unpleasant industrial note. However, unlike Russell's Reserve, the fig and cinnamon flavors create a pleasing balance. The cinnamon flavor persists through the finish. It evokes autumnal sensations and is quite enjoyable. To Wild Turkey: I previously made negative remarks about Russell's Reserve 10 year. I stand by those comments. However, given this improvement with a similar flavor profile, you are... FORGIVEN.