Wild Turkey Bourbon 101

Nose: Cherry and vanilla notes with a subtle oaky funk. Taste: Sweet vanilla and cherry fades into a complex oaky vegetal flavor with a hint of spearmint. A bit of pepperiness stays around along with oak and a bit of ethanol. This is decently complex for the price. I am not highly impressed by it given the hype that it seems to have, but it's still good regardless. The slight funkiness turns me off of this one a bit.

This bourbon is 101 proof (of course), with a mash bill of 75% corn, 13%rye, and 12% malted barley. I wound up wishing for less rye, as the spice was too much sometimes. The color is amber, with just a tinge of red in it. The legs form very slow, run slowly, and are close together. I paid $12.99 for a 375ml bottle. RIGHT OUT OF THE BOTTLE Nose: Fruity, sweet, with spice and oak, with corn underneath. Taste: Spice, corn, and oak. It's not as complex as I had expected given the reputation Wild Turkey has. Finish: It begins with a long spiciness, fading to a mild oak that lingers. WITH A SPLASH OF WATER Nose: Oak, faint floral notes, a faint mustiness, and honey. Taste: With water the bourbon acquires a creamy mouthfeel. There's mild spice, honey, and a very faint oak note. Finish: Spice and oak, with the oak fading out. AFTER SITTING FOR 10 MINUTES Nose: Floral and fruity, with a faint oak note, and a very strong alcohol burn. Taste: Spicy fruit - something like apples and cinnamon, though not really that, with honey cough drops, strong spice, and faint oak. Finish: Spice and oak - the spice becomes painfully overpowering if I hold the sip too long. Wild Turkey 101 is all right, but it's not the best bourbon I've ever had, and it doesn't live up to its reputation. It's best with a splash of water, second-best right out of the bottle, and mediocre or worse after it sits for a while. I don't regret trying it, and eventually I'll finish the bottle, but I don't know that I'll ever buy it again.

Very pleasant on the nose with vanilla and citrus. Lots of oak on the palate along with the usual bourbon flavors of vanilla, caramel, etc. Great bourbon for the price.