Author: whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Wild Turkey 101 Review

written on 06-December-2019

WILD TURKEY 101 REVIEW:

Wild Turkey 101 is likely one of everyone’s first bourbons and is a good gateway bourbon due to its low cost.  It is not going to WOW anyone, not with aromas, taste or finish, but it is readily available and I’m sure is a standby for many a penny pinching soul.  That said, there are many other better bourbons for just a few dollars more if one just “sips” around.

WILD TURKEY 101 VITAL STATS:

Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distillery: Wild Turkey / Austin, Nichols Distilling Co
Mash Bill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Cask: New Charred Oak
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel entry proof: 114
Age: nas (said to be a blend of  6, 7 & 8 year bourbons)
ABV: 50.5% (101 Proof)
Price: $23.95 USD in Idaho

https://wildturkeybourbon.com/

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from whiskey glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

NOSE:

Wild Turkey 101 greets the nose with pleasant bourbon aromas and has a dry, dusty grain component.  As the dram is drawn down, fresh citrus along with powdered ginger and white pepper can be coaxed from the juice.  Any sweetness comes in as a hint of vanilla, simple syrup and faint caramel.  Prolonged nosing can reveal a fresh light oak aroma, but it fades in and out.  This is a simple and gentle pour even though it is 101 proof.

PALATE:

The initial sips of Wild Turkey 101 are watery, not in feel but in flavor.  Like on the nose it is dry and the initial bite quickly fades to warm dusty grain.  There is a dark but indiscernable fruit leather aftertaste; maybe of dates or stale raisins; there is just not enough flavor there to discern.  The spices come in as black pepper and rye and as on the nose, the sweet is simple syrup and warm caramel.  This is a gentle bourbon with only a faint leather aftertaste, a few hazelnuts and a hazy seasoned old oak barrel flavor to entertain the mouth.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Wild Turkey 101 is well blended but plain.  In the mouth it is creamy and when swished, chewed and violently worked in the mouth with the tongue it can be sinus clearing, but otherwise it is a gentle sip.  In the glass, a nice evenly spaced inverted crown forms then gives up thin clinging legs to drop back into the russet colored pool.

FINISH:

As each swallow is downed, the warmth lingers, and the flavors quickly fade away.  What remains in the medium finish is pepper, a little dusty grain, leather, seasoned old oak and the sensation of fresh citrus.  The empty glass has faint aromas of charred oak barrels but even those fade quickly.

MY RATING: 84/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
But it won’t be a must have in the bunker.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 84/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Wild Turkey.

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Hannah’s Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon Review

Original review written December 6, 2019

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

If sampling, buy a 375 ml bottle, not the tiny shot bottles you find in baskets at check-out. While the bottled version is simple and a little disappointing, the small plastic offering provides flavors similar to gasoline, in my opinion. Read my Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon Review here! 79/100

VITALS:

– Made in: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Wild Turkey/Austin, Nichols Distilling Company
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Age: nas (believed to be a blend of a 6, 7, and 8 year old bourbon)
– Mash Bill: Corn=75%; Rye=13%; Malted Barley=12%
– Casks: New charred oak; Char #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 114
– ABV: 50.5% (101 proof)
– Price: $23.95 USD in Idaho

Visit wildturkeybourbon.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a whiskey tumbler with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

I picture sitting on an old porch of a run-down house, ceiling fan spinning on a rapid course to combat the humidity of an Alabama afternoon. This spirit is a refreshing breath within the thick, wet air of a hot day.

Photo by Evgeny Dzhumaev on Unsplash

NOSE:

Sweetness comes to the nose immediately, with caramel being dominant. As the spirit warms, the rye inches forward, and it is a welcome addition, as I’m not the sugary-bourbon type. Even still, the caramel seems a little sickly, but I’m not turned off completely yet. I’m looking for a depth of richness, and I just can’t get anything. At 101 proof, I’m looking for more.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: Creamy. This is my favorite aspect of this bourbon, for sure.
– Balance: It’s blended for sure, but it’s simple, so it’s a little disappointing.
– Visual: Russet muscat in color, with a very pretty crown that has evenly spaced legs and droplets; very reminiscent of Christmas lights.

– Taste: There is a classic bourbon feel and taste from this … almost to the point of being plain. With a little more digging, I find a vanilla element that makes the mouth feel that much more creamy. I’m hunting for other flavors, but I’m struggling. There is one flavor that I can only hold onto for a moment, but it isn’t long enough to say definitively what the flavor is.

There isn’t an overwhelming alcohol burn that I’ve had from other bourbons of equal, or even less proof (e.g. Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch and Blanton’s Single Barrel…). That being said, Wild Turkey 101 is readily available (as opposed to Taylor and much cheaper than Blanton’s). Does that make up for the lackluster performance thus far? … No, I don’t think it does.

With a Kentucky chew, that hidden flavor comes back briefly. It’s a little chocolate-y and a little fruity.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. There’s warmth left over, but it’s contained only to the mouth.
– Between Sips: The only thing I can get is a sickly sweet sensation.

– No More: The oak from the barrel is coming through the further into the glass I get. I’ve decided my mystery flavor could be dates, but that’s as fruity as this bourbon gets. The caramel is still there, but it seems to be improving. As it continues to improve, I find a bitter rose petal to chew on, but it’s somewhat enjoyable.

The empty Glencairn smells equally sweet as the other aspects of this bourbon with only a hint of oak.

WORTH THE PRICE?

I suppose. Overall, this is an okay bourbon at a fair price. It’s a right of passage bourbon, so experiment away!

RATING: 79/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 79/100 to access other whiskeys with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Wild Turkey.

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