Name: Wild Turkey Master's Keep Cornerstone Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
Brand: Wild Turkey
SKU: 721059003025
Price: 449.95 USD
Availability: InStock

Price

$449.95

/

✔ Authenticated by the house — seal, fill level, and label inspected before release
✔ Documented provenance on every bottle
✔ Climate-safe, collector-grade packaging

Age: 9 Years | Region: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky | Proof: 109

Secure payments

Vault-to-door shipping

Adult signature (21+) at delivery

109

Proof

54.5%

ABV

750 mL

Format

9–11 Yrs

Stock Range

2019

Release Year

Kentucky

Region

Wild Turkey Master's Keep Cornerstone is the first rye whiskey in the Master's Keep series and the only one Eddie Russell built from rye alone. Released in August 2019 at 109 proof (54.5% ABV), it draws on barrels aged between nine and eleven years. About 16,000 bottles went to the United States. Until Master's Keep Triumph arrived in 2024, it was the oldest rye Wild Turkey had ever bottled.

Nº 01

The Elemental Distinction

01

The first rye whiskey in the Master's Keep series, marking the collection's historic turn from bourbon into aged rye.

02

Bottled at 109 proof (54.5% ABV) from reserve barrels matured between nine and eleven years in new charred oak.

03

Published accounts disagree over whether the front label carries a nine-year age statement; what is not disputed is that the whiskey draws on barrels of nine and eleven years.

04

Allocated nationally in August 2019 in a limited US run of approximately 16,000 bottles.

05

Held the record as the oldest rye Wild Turkey had released until Master's Keep Triumph in 2024.

Nº 02

Wild Turkey & Eddie Russell Rye Legacy

Decade-Aged Rye Craftsmanship

Distilled at Wild Turkey Distilling Co. along the Kentucky River in Lawrenceburg, Master's Keep Cornerstone showcases Eddie Russell's passion for extra-aged rye. While Wild Turkey has produced straight rye continuously since the 1970s, Cornerstone proved that extended maturation tames aggressive grain pepper into deep honey, baked orchard fruit, and herbal complexity.

Nº 03

Craftsmanship & Cask Architecture

9 to 11-Year Oak Maturation

9 to 11-Year Reserve Stock

No. 4 Char American Oak

Aged up to eleven years in alligator-char barrels, imparting toasted rye bread, dark caramel, and polished oak.

High-Proof Concentration

109 Proof Bottling

Bottled at 109 proof (54.5% ABV), delivering intense structural weight and a warming, peppery finish.

Traditional Rye Recipe

Kentucky Straight Rye

Distilled from Wild Turkey's proprietary high-rye mash bill, balancing bold grain spice with corn sweetness.

Limited National Run

16,000 Bottle Allocation

A small national batch allocation that established the precedent for ultra-aged Kentucky straight rye.

Nº 04

Sensory Profile & Strategy

Master Distiller Tasting Notes

I

Sensory Profile

Nose: Vanilla and toasted rye bread over black pepper, with green apple and citrus zest cutting through.
Palate: Honey and baked apple arrive first, then the rye turns peppery and herbal at full strength.
Finish: Long and warming, barrel char and peppery spice fading into dry oak.

II

Strategic Position

Wild Turkey has distilled rye continuously since the 1970s but almost never bottled it old, which is what makes this the outlier of the run. It follows the sherry-finished 2018 release and sits immediately before the 17-year bonded release within the Master's Keep archive at Midnight Whiskey.

Nº 05

Collector Note & Index

Vault Provenance

→

The Inaugural Rye Anchor

Cornerstone stands as the essential first chapter in Wild Turkey's aged rye lineage, succeeded five years later by the 10-year Triumph.

→

Master's Keep Sequence Context

Preceded by Revival (2018) and followed by Bottled in Bond 17 Year (2020) in the release chain.

Evaluated strictly on verified liquid specifications, physical inspects, and primary distillery disclosures.

Collector IndexCORNERSTONE

Distillery: Wild Turkey Distilling Co.
Series Position: Release 5 of 11 (2019)
Category: Kentucky Straight Rye
Proof / ABV: 109 Proof (54.5% ABV)
Composition: Ryes Aged 9 & 11 Years
Stock Range: 9 to 11 Years

Explore the complete Master's Keep collection in Midnight Whiskey's vault.

Nº 06

Technical Specifications

PRODUCER / DISTILLERY	Wild Turkey Distilling Co., Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
CATEGORY	Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
SERIES POSITION	Master's Keep Series (Release 5)
RELEASE YEAR	2019
ABV / PROOF	54.5% ABV / 109 Proof
COMPOSITION	Kentucky Straight Ryes Aged 9 & 11 Years
LABEL AGE STATEMENT	Disputed between published accounts (9-Yr vs NAS)
COOPERAGE	New American White Oak, No. 4 Char
MASH BILL	51% Rye, 37% Corn, 12% Malted Barley
PRODUCTION VOLUME	Approximately 16,000 Bottles (US)
REGION	Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, USA
FORMAT	750 mL
SKU	WT-MK-CNR-750

† Specifications and details verified directly from physical bottle inspects and producer disclosures.

Nº 07

Records & Assurance

Production Methodology

Wild Turkey's rye goes into the same no. 4 char barrels as its bourbon, at the same low entry strength, and until this release almost none of it was left past six years. Eddie Russell set aside a lot of the oldest rye barrels on the property, aged between nine and eleven years, and blended them without cutting to a core-range strength — the whiskey went into the bottle at 109 proof. Whether the front label carries a nine-year statement is reported differently by different outlets; under federal labelling rules any stated age must be that of the youngest whiskey in the blend, which would put nine on the label and eleven in the glass. Published figures for the rye recipe itself vary between sources, and Wild Turkey does not print them on the bottle.

Authentication & Vault Preservation

Every bottle sold through Midnight Whiskey is sourced as an authentic, sealed product and inspected before it ships. Orders are packed with padded, glass-rated handling and require an adult signature (21+) on delivery; we do not ship to anyone unable to verify legal drinking age. For our full sourcing and handling protocols, see our editorial and authentication standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wild Turkey Master's Keep Cornerstone a bourbon or a rye?

Cornerstone is a Kentucky straight rye whiskey — the first rye Wild Turkey released in the Master's Keep series, which had been bourbon-only until 2019.

How old is Master's Keep Cornerstone rye?

Wild Turkey describes Cornerstone as drawing on rye barrels aged between nine and eleven years. Published accounts disagree over whether the front label carries a nine-year age statement, so the component ages are the reliable figure.

What proof is Master's Keep Cornerstone bottled at?

Master's Keep Cornerstone is bottled at 109 proof, or 54.5% ABV. At release it was the highest-proof rye whiskey Wild Turkey had put out, alongside being its oldest.

Midnight Whiskey · The Vault Wild Turkey · Master's Keep Cornerstone Rye

Shipping information

Adult Signature Required: Federal law requires an adult (21+) with a valid government ID to sign for all deliveries. Carriers cannot leave alcohol unattended.

Processing Time: Most orders process within 1–8 business days. You will receive a tracking number via email as soon as your bottle ships.

Insured Shipping: We strongly recommend electing Shipping Protection at checkout. Midnight Whiskey is not liable for loss or damage once in the carrier's possession unless insurance is purchased.

Restrictions: We ship only within the permitted U.S. states and cannot deliver to P.O. Boxes or U.S. Territories.

All Sales Final: Due to alcohol regulations, we cannot accept returns for change of mind.

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Wild Turkey Master's Keep

The Elemental Distinction

Wild Turkey & Eddie Russell Rye Legacy