My earliest memories of Wild Turkey began in college, when the mere mention of  bourbon made people scrunch their faces.  I suppose bourbon wasn’t too popular back then.  Fast forward several years and I come back to it in the capacity of a bourbon enthusiast.

Wild Turkey is 101 proof.  From what I understand, while other bonded bourbons were being released at 100 proof, Wild Turkey tried to best them by one proof point.  That “101” on the label really stands out.  The company has a long history that can be traced back to 1855.  Master Distiller Jimmy Russell has been in the business for 60 years, and his son Eddie is following in his footsteps as Associate Master Distiller.  I’ve read Jimmy prefers his bourbon around the 6 year mark, and that’s about what you get with Wild Turkey 101.  It’s a blend of 6, 7, and 8 year old bourbons.

On the nose, Wild Turkey 101 gives me lots of caramel, cinnamon, and vanilla.  The first sip lets you know it’s bold (partly due to the high proof).  This tastes like what I’d consider to be an excellent example  of standard bourbon – lots of caramel, a little spice (like nutmeg), some vanilla and a little citrus.  The finish is sweet, a little oaky and long.  Delicious.

Wild Turkey 101 is an inexpensive delicious bourbon at about $22.  I’ve had this neat and I’ve had this in an old fashioned cocktail.  Wild Turkey makes an 81 proof bourbon.  At a couple of dollars more, I’d suggest you get yourself a bottle of 101.   You won’t regret it.

8/10