Wild Turkey Bourbon 101

Finally getting around to this absolute classic. It’s one of my first go-to bourbons, and has always been an incredibly well-priced option. It’s worth noting that this bottle is from the old packaging style, so it was bottled at least a couple years ago. Without further ado, let’s dive into the famous Wild Turkey 101. Nose: Toffee, vanilla, and caramel. Cocoa. Black tea. Sawdust. Caramel used apple and dried apricot. Ginger, peppercorn, pipe smoke, and orange rind. Clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, rye, and oak spice. Nice nose, and an extremely spicy one at that. Palate: Gala apple, vanilla, toffee, caramel, and brown sugar. Fudge. I’m greeted with a surprising sweetness as compared to the nose. Dried and regular apricot. Cocoa. Peppercorn. Leather. Almond and pistachio. Orange citrus. Ginger, wood, sawdust. Cinnamon, black pepper, rye, clove, nutmeg, and oak spice. Finish: Cocoa. Peppercorn. Pipe tobacco. Black tea. Almond. Vanilla, brown sugar, caramel, and toffee. Ginger and rye spice. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Long.Beast of a finish. Just when you think it’s done, another spice wave comes crashing down. Awesome. VFM matters. And this is a strong whiskey whether you consider VFM or not. Especially the finish. It’s powerfully spicy and trades the refined notes that define the Russell’s line, and presents as an incredibly brash beast of bourbon. I paid $27 for this bottle, and I’ve seen it for less. I was going to give this a 4.0, but as I said, VFM is important. 4.5/5 for this. There is simply no better whiskey at this price or lower. It’s tangy, and it’s spicy. If that description doesn’t appeal to your palate, this may not be for you. But if that sounds like something you’d be interested in, do not let the name dissuade you. Your money is well spent here.

My favorite budget bourbon, sweet, sharp, honey, caramel - great neat or on the rocks