Distillery: Wild Turkey
Proof: 101
Age: Blend of 6, 7, and 8 year bourbons
Mashbill: 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley
Color: Dark bronze
Price: $25 for 750ml
Company
Wild Turkey, based in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, is one of the most well-known brands in the bourbon world (and 101 is their most popular offering).
Master Distiller, Jimmy Russell, has 60 years of experience and is often referred to as the “Buddha of Bourbon”. You can pretty much guarantee that any bourbon made by Wild Turkey will be worth buying.
Production
Wild Turkey 101 is distilled at a low proof and is aged in American White Oak Barrels with the deepest char. It comes out of the barrel at around 109 proof then is slightly diluted down to 101 before bottling.
Nose – 88/100
Rye spice, caramel, toffee
Palate – 88/100
Rye spice, oak, vanilla
Finish – 85/100
Bold spice and pepper (not smooth)
Value – 87/100
Wild Turkey 101 is a quality bourbon for the price point, but it isn’t anything to write home about in our opinion. It’s pretty harsh and bitey and we prefer other bourbons in this price range like Buffalo Trace or 1792.
Verdict – 87/100
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 95+
- Gold – 90 – 94
- Silver – 80 – 89
- Bronze – <80
Hunter Branch is the Founder and Director of Editorial for Bourbon Inspector. He has been writing about and professionally reviewing bourbon since 2020 (and has been drinking it for much longer). He’s been able to interview big names in the bourbon industry like Trey Zoeller from Jefferson’s Bourbon and his work has been featured in publications like TastingTable, Mashed, and more.