Wild Turkey Returns To Forgiven Bourbon/Rye Hybrid

By Richard Thomas

Wild Turkey released what has been described as a “happy accident” in 2013. As the story goes, a set of small batch whiskey was accidentally blended with high proof rye, and this at a time when Wild Turkey’s rye supply was running short. But after tasting the mistake, Eddie Russell, son and deputy of Master Distiller Jimmy Russell, thought they had something in their mistake. The accidental batch was bottled at 91 proof and dubbed Forgiven.

Now Wild Turkey is set to repeat the accident with a second release of Forgiven in October 2014. Everything about the bourbon-rye hybrid will stay the same, so it’s still a 91 proof blend of 78% six year old bourbon and 22% four year old rye, and it will still be priced at $50 for a 750 ml bottle.