When I started reviewing Wild Turkey Master’s Keep releases, I had every intention of procuring at least one bottle of each and providing a subsequent review. That was around the time Master’s Keep One released, one of the line’s more polarizing bottles. I wasn’t able to track down a bottle of Unforgotten, but figured I could build up some trade fodder and eventually obtain one. Then 2023’s Master’s Keep was spotted on the TTB: Voyage, a rum-finished bourbon. As someone who wasn’t on board with rum by that point, I knew my original endeavor wouldn’t come to fruition. I’ve since warmed up to rum and tried Voyage, which I’d still put toward the bottom of my tentative Master’s Keep ranking, but still above its successor, Triumph.

I bring this backstory to light mainly to contextualize just how scattered my experience with Master’s Keep has been. Although it never achieved the same level of avant garde experimentation found in Jim Beam’s Little Book line, Master’s Keep has been an effective sandbox for Eddie Russell to play in. Elevated and ballooning price tags aside, I’ve been a fan of Master’s Keep, even when it slumps. And when Master’s Keep hits (see: Revival, Cornerstone), it soars to a point that few modern American whiskeys can reach.

So imagine the bittersweet sensation when Wild Turkey announced that 2025’s Beacon would be the final Master’s Keep release. Or at least, for now, according to Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell. The Russells always intended Master’s Keep to start and end with bourbon releases, so Beacon has more in common with the first two Master’s Keep releases (original 17-Year and Decades) than the more recent iterations. But there’s also a symbolic meaning to this concluding (?) chapter in Wild Turkey’s modern history.

Although Jimmy Russell is the most tenured Master Distiller, Eddie has progressively taken over more of the reigns, bringing us many of the modern Turkey expressions we’re now accustomed to seeing. We can think of Jimmy as more traditionally-minded while Eddie enjoys more age and experimentation. This then begs the question: how will things play out with the next Russell? On one hand, Bruce Russell has an affinity for a whiskey category that his grandfather was never too keen on: rye. Yet Bruce also leans into bold whiskey profiles, which sounds right in-line with how Wild Turkey is often pitched. All of this is to say that I’m excited to see the direction Wild Turkey goes as Bruce becomes a more integral part of the team. And for some of us, this begins with Beacon.

The name “Beacon” can be thought of as a “passing of the beacon” from Eddie to Bruce Russell, since this is the first Master’s Keep with Bruce’s signature on it. To that end, my speculation is that if/when Master’s Keep returns, it’ll be when Bruce becomes Master Distiller. Beacon itself is a blend of 10- and 16-year bourbons, with the 10-year being some of the first stocks Bruce distilled alongside Eddie and Jimmy, while the 16-year was selected by Eddie from some of the last stocks produced at the original Wild Turkey distillery. Does this mean the stocks selected by Eddie came from the old still and were barreled below the current 115 proof point? One can only speculate, but I’m sure the more astute Turkey fans will confirm/deny this for me.

Beacon is also the highest proof Master’s Keep released to date with a bottling strength of 59% ABV (118 proof), topping 2019’s Cornerstone (54.5% ABV/109 proof). This follows a trend of modern Turkey products going up in proof, previously evidenced by Generations and since followed by 2025’s Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E. Suggested retail pricing for Beacon was $300, with secondary value fluctuating between $425 and $600 (sometimes more).

Nose: Beautiful oak structure bringing an equilibrium of buttery and savory notes. A bedrock of vanilla bean, salted toffee, and toasted hazelnut with sweet clove, tobacco, mild cinnamon sugar, and hints of tamarind come and go. Brings to life that old rickhouse profile many bourbon drinkers look for and delivers it in spades.

Palate: Explodes on the palate with syrupy caramel quickly followed by strong black pepper vibes. Progresses into a creamier mouthfeel with appropriate crème brûlée notes. Subsequent sips amplify the buttery notes, bringing flan and hot buttered rum to mind, along with a waxy layer of hazelnut and black cherry.

Finish: Lingering vanilla custard leads the finish before tobacco and hints of nutmeg creep in. The combination of cream and nutty waxiness from the palate also become more prevalent over time, reinforcing the strong (yet balanced) oak presence.

“Frustratingly good” has become a go-to phrase of mine when trying a whiskey that I don’t want to enjoy as much as I do. I’ve definitely uttered it a handful of times while drinking Master’s Keep Beacon. The “frustrating” part mainly comes down to the going rate for Beacon, both with regards to MSRP and secondary costs. I rarely think any whiskey is worth shelling out $300 for, partly because that’s the ceiling for my per-bottle budget. Yet Beacon is one of the few modern bottles I can look at and not be utterly put off by the lower end of its going rate.

Simply put, Beacon is a beast of a pour and fantastic potential sendoff to the Master’s Keep line. This is an easy contender for best Master’s Keep and a frontrunner for bourbon of the year. I love how the whiskey balances the sweet, buttery notes with savory and spicy notes from the oak; reminds me of Decades and the 17-Year Bottled in Bond with how everything comes together. Practically every note you’d want to find in a premium bourbon is present here, with a perfect bottling strength to boot. Even if the whiskey isn’t cask strength, it sure drinks like it (in the best way). Are there richer, more indulgent pours that could drop this down a peg or two? Sure. But Beacon is no slouch, even against those pours.