What Proof Is Wild Turkey Whiskey

Wild Turkey 101 Mashbill And Distilling

Wild Turkey 101 contains 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% barley which is a fairly typical bourbon mashbill. The unique thing about Wild Turkey is that their standard whiskey is 101 proof. Most Bourbons, at least most mass produced bourbons, are 80 proof and have higher proof selections. Wild Turkey, on the other hand, is only slightly diluted with water after the aging process.

Whiskeys come out of their barrels at a much higher ABV and then are watered down to the desired proof. Wild Turkey comes out of the barrel around 109 proof and is only watered down to 101 proof. This helps Wild Turkey be as consistent and close to their desired flavor profile as possible.

Wild Turkey 81 Proof Bourbon

• Kentucky Straight Bourbon

• Standard delivery

  From £4.95

• Free

• Tasting Notes by Stuart P

• Nose

  Soft, with sweet raisins, cinnamon, toffee popcorn and a touch of black pepper. Theres also rich sweetness in the form of vanilla, honey and caramelised bananas.

• Palate

  Nice and spicy, with clove and nutmeg perking up the honeyed fruit. Not too sweet and a good, solid punch of spicy fruit.

• Finish

  The soft honey and vanilla notes sit well with the spice.

What Is The Difference Between Wild Turkey 81 And 101

Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon is slightly darker in color than Wild Turkey 81. I would describe it as light bronze or deeper shade of straw gold with a tinge of auburn. Oak barrel aroma is evident, but much smoother than the 81. The Wild Turkey 101 just gives more bang for the buck with its higher proof and deeper flavor.

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What Is The Best Wild Turkey

More From Wild Turkey

• big D,21 August 2021

  I think if your going to get a bottle of wild Turkey you should try the 101. That said for the price this isnt bad. I think at this price its worth buying a bulliet bourbon that 45 proof really lets the bourbon flavour come though.

• 5

  Absolutely the best bang for your buck. Love the flavor.

• 2

  FileNotFound,28 May 2020

  As an Irish whiskey drinker , I said I’d give bourbon a proper try. Wild Turkey 81 was the first stop, have to say a little disappointed, no real flavour or defining feature. Didn’t really detect the notes expected. For the price it did not meet my expectations based on reviews I have read. Guess it onwards and upwards. 2.5 star would be more accurate.

• 4

  Flavourful and smooth. A very nice neat sipping bourbon

• 4

  Matt D,30 December 2018

  My first taste of Wild Turkey 80 proof ina side by side with Jim Beam White label today. Ive found a new bourbon! Enjoyed the mild but distinctive hint of fruit? nutty? spice? what Im not certain, but I liked it. Will try some others, but being familiar with JB, Jack Daniels, Canadian Club, and Crown Royal, and preferring Wild Turkey to them all it may be some time before I find a worthy contender.

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Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon Overview

So the main question to answer in this review is if its affordable and easy to find, is it actually good to drink? Lets cut to the chase and find out if the bourbon inside is as good as people say it is in this Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon review.

As an FYI, I bought and use these Glencairn glasses for everything : Glencairn Crystal Whiskey Glass Set of 6, Set of 4, Set of 2, or just one.Full transparency, this is an affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.

The Complete Guide To Wild Turkey Whiskey: Important Bottles And History Explained

From 101 to Master’s Keep, here’s everything you need to know about Wild Turkey, one of America’s most cherished whiskey makers.

Welcome to Brand Breakdown, a series of comprehensive yet easy-to-digest guides to your favorite companies, with insights and information you wont find on the average About page.

Wild Turkey isn’t the most divisive whiskey maker in the U.S., but collective perception of the brand might be least unified. Depending on who you ask, it’s college kid whiskey something cheap and good swirled together in a tub with god knows what else. It’s also a collector’s whiskey, but not because it’s joined the industry-wide conga line of pushing old, pricey and very limited bottles annually its Turkey’s bottles from the ’80s and early ’90s that sell for hundreds of dollars in whiskey’s grey markets. Still, some may know it likely for its 101 expression as the standard bearer for well-made, well-priced American bourbon without the fuss brought on by the 2010s. But that’s not how new bourbon enthusiasts that congregate on Instagram, /r/bourbon and private Facebook groups view them they’d point to Wild Turkey’s exceptional single barrel offerings as the brand’s calling card.

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Wild Turkey 101 Alternatives

Wild Turkey 101 is just one of many bourbon alternatives in the world. If youre an avid bourbon drinker, then you know that to enjoy something similar to Wild Turkey 101, there are other bourbons out there to choose from. Heres a list of the best bourbon alternatives to help you choose your next favorite.

What Does It Mean To Be A Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Theres really two things you need to know. What classifies as a bourbon? What classifies as a straight bourbon? Lets cover bourbon first. Bourbon is an American whiskey much as scotch is a Scottish whiskey. Other than that, it must contain at least 51% corn and be barreled in new charred oak barrels. To say something is a Kentucky bourbon just means it was produced in Kentucky. While bourbon can be produced throughout all 50 states, some 95% of bourbon is made in Kentucky.

Now, to be a straight bourbon, there is only one extra step aging. Straight bourbon must be aged a minimum of 2 years, and a minimum of 4 years if there is no age statement on the bottle. Wild Turkey, however, is aged 6-8 years.

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Is Wild Turkey The Most Underrated Bourbon Around

A pint bottle of Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon

A couple of years ago, one of the popular memes in American whiskey writing was to declare that most craft whiskeys suck, and the strangest undercurrent of that meme was to name Jim Beam White as a very underrated bourbon and use it as a yardstick. Comparative values aside, I remember thinking at the time, Jim Beam White underrated? How?

Beam is the third-ranked whiskey in the world, after Johnnie Walker and Jack Daniels, so just how could it be ever classed as underrated, let alone severely so, escapes me. Instead, whenever I think of underrated bourbons it is Wild Turkey 101 that tops my list.

Underrated By Popular Acclaim?I am not alone in thinking of Wild Turkey as so egregiously overlooked by casual drinkers and diehard enthusiasts alike. Jimmy Russells signature statement appears on many an underrated whiskeys list, on blogs, in forum threads and in the media. This is so much the case that one might wonder if it is so widely appreciated as an underrated bourbon, how could it remain underrated?

Because that passion on the part of some doesnt translate well into actual drinking on the part of many. Wild Turkey 101 was last years 18th-selling whiskey brand. That ranking places it far behind even Evan Williams, another popular choice as an underrated bourbon.

Tasting Notes: Wild Turkey Longbranch Bourbon

Vital Stats: Longbranch is made from eight-year-old Wild Turkey Bourbon, which has a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye and 10% malted barley. It is further refined through a proprietary process involving two separate charcoal filtration methods the first using charcoal from American White Oak, the second using charcoal from Texas Mesquite wood. Bottled at 43% ABV , a 750 mL of Longbranch retails for an average of $35.

Appearance: Rich and viscous gold.

Nose: The sweetness is of corn and vanilla syrup, complemented by a light toasted graininess and a toasty undercurrent.

Palate: The taste of caramel apples is quickly dominated with spicy, slightly peppery heat and a subtle smokiness, a hint of char and oak, a touch of under-ripe stone fruit in the aftertaste and a nice acidity to balance things out overall. Start to finish, theres a pleasant enveloping warmth that is smooth and soothes going down.

The Takeaway

Wild Turkeys Longbranch is a bourbon that might be considered more elevated than some of its standard offerings. I can see whiskey newcomers enjoying it, as its approachable yet interesting and also offers enough to please the palate of a more seasoned aficionado. It more than holds its own neat, and also worked well in a Toronto cocktail . This is a solid whiskey Ill be happy to turn back to repeatedly.

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Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon Awards

2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Double Gold.

2013 Beverage Tasting Institute, 89 Points Silver Medal, Highly Recommended and Best Buy.

2012 Ultimate Spirits Challenge, 91 Points Excellent, Highly Recommended.

2012 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Gold Medal.

History.1840s, the origins of the Wild Turkey Bourbon Distillery began to form when James and John Ripy arrived in Kentucky from Tyrone, Ireland, and opened a store selling general goods.

The Ripys settled beneath the towering limestone cliffs along the Kentucky River in the shadow of what is now called Wild Turkey Hill and christened the plot Tyrone..

The huddle of log cabins became the site of their first distillery with a capacity for mashing 100 bushels of corn per day.

1855 This is the foundation date on Wild Turkey whiskey labels. Merchant Austin Nichols starts selling wine and spirits as a wholesale grocer. This business he starts goes on later to own Wild Turkey and is still recorded as part of the label.

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Wild Turkey 101 Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review And Tasting Notes

In Bourbon whiskey, Whisky of the Week

At the beginning of May, I tried the Wild Turkey Rare Breed and liked it a lot. I so enjoyed this bourbon it was not long afterwards that I started looking around for another bottle to restock my collection. I ran into a bit of a problem. The variety of bourbon in South Africa has declined steadily over the last year, and the range of Bourbons available is somewhat limited.

The only Wild Turkey I managed to find was the Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon whiskey. So I grabbed it with both hands, and I am excited to try this bourbon as well. Wild Turkey is a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey distilled and bottled by Wild Turkey Distilling Co. The distillery is located on Wild Turkey Hill near Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.

The Ripy brothers built the original distillery. They sold the bourbon that they produced to various wholesalers who bottled bourbon under their own brands. One of these wholesalers were Austin Nichols.

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According to some research, the Wild Turkey brand was created after an Austin Nichols executive, Thomas McCarthy, took some warehouse samples on a wild turkey hunting trip in 1940. This whiskey was so popular among his friends they continued to ask him for that wild turkey bourbon.. Austin Nichols began to bottle Wild Turkey in 1942.

Pernod Richard purchased the distillery and the Wild Turkey brand in 1980 but subsequently sold it to the Campari Group in 2009.

Makers Mark Wheated Bourbon

Makers Mark is good bourbon, and its recent growth in popularity could be due to its lower price point. Many people shy away from bourbon because of its sometimes harsh and distinctive flavor . Makers is smoother and lighter than most other bourbons.

At first sniff, Makers Mark smells pleasant enough, but not particularly special. The aroma is an amalgamation of honey and sweet smells, with a bit of citrus and alcohol to balance it out. Sweetness is dominant in the overall scent: honey and malt in particular dominate the overall profile.

The taste is much like the nose, but with a bit more spice. Its still mellow and smooth. At first, there is moderate spice, and then it quickly fades into simple, sweet sugars. Theres also coconut and woody vanilla that comes in briefly. Underneath this is an assortment of flavors: lemon tea with honey, vanilla, and some tobacco that comes and goes. The finish is long and slow and ends with a bit of leather and lingering notes of sweet corn.

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Is Wild Turkey 101 Better Than Jim Beam

Wild Turkey 101 is similar to Jim Beam Bourbon, some people say its better than Jim Beam. Both are popular bourbons, though each offers some unique flavor profiles. The appearance, the color is golden with copper hues. The aroma is about sweet. It leaves a sweet aftertaste in your mouth. The flavor is full of spice and woody notes. Although the kick is very smooth which offers an enjoyable drinking experience to all its customers worldwide.

Wild Turkey 101 Summary

Wild Turkey 101 is a high proof Kentucky straight bourbon that comes to us at an average but fair price point. At 50.5% ABV, it has more alcohol than your typical 80 proof whiskey. So, for the price and quality of Wild Turkey 101, it is an efficient option. One of the potential downsides of Wild Turkey 101 is that it is fairly basic. Its not as complex as a so many whiskeys and bourbons are today. However, this is okay since its really meant to be mixed. Furthermore, as a mass produced whiskey, its meant to appeal to the masses.

Wild Turkey also has Matthew McConaughey working as a creative director for them which is fairly cool, at least for those of us that are fans of him. You can read about his involvement with the whiskey over at The Drum.

At the end of the day, whether or not Wild Turkey is good or worth it comes down to personal preference. I like Wild Turkey for parties and other similar occasions for its cheap, inoffensive, and high proof qualities. Ultimately, the only way for you to know if you like Wild Turkey is to go out and try it.

If youve enjoyed this review, check out our thoughts on Knob Creek 12 Year Cask Strength!

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What Makes Wild Turkey 101 Special

Wild Turkey 101 is one of the best affordable bourbons on the market. The sweet and smokey taste leaves a lasting impression, but its cheap price has a way of sneaking up on you. Its relatively easy to find a whiskey that tastes fantastic, but its a lot harder to find a whiskey thats supremely smooth and great for a budget price. Thats the reason Wild Turkey 101 is so special for so many people.

Wild Turkey 101 Value

Is Wild Turkey worth buying? In this section, we compare price and taste to let you know if Wild Turkey is worth the money. The real value of Wild Turkey is in its 101 proof, or 50.5% ABV. Jack Daniels comes in at about the same price as Wild Turkey, so we would typically recommend to just go with that. However, if youre looking for a stronger option that you can mix, Wild Turkey is a very good option.

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Wild Turkey 101 Rating

Learn more about some of the best bourbons under $50Meet the Author: Alex

I have far too much fun writing about whiskey and singlehandedly running The Whiskey Shelf to bring you independent, honest, and useful reviews, comparisons, and more. Im proudly Asian American and can speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and some Japanese.

Buying Me A Shot

If youre on the move, this Glencairn-like stainless steel snifter glass should survive your travels and avoid shattered glass. Full transparency, this is an Amazon affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.

Reasons Whiskey Geeks Always Have A Bottle Of Wild Turkey On Their Shelf

Theres an easy way to separate the bourbon geeks from the newbies. Just ask this simple question:

So, what do you think about Wild Turkey?

The neophytes might be quick to say, Ha. That was my go-to shot in college! But the connoisseurs will perk right up. In fact, many will say its their absolute favorite distillery. Thats because the geeks know Wild Turkey offers something few other American whiskey producers can: an incredible history mixed with remarkable products at an undeniable value.

Need to know whats what? Here, seven reasons every true bourbon lover always has a bottle of Wild Turkey on their bar.

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