Question about Wild Turkey

[wskybnt]

I just found this site last night. A ton of info here. Got a question that I have wondered for a long time. I am a big Wild Turkey fan, and was wondering is 101 aged 6 years? On there site the have 101, 101 8 year, and 101 12 year. I have found the 12 year at a store here last year. It was great and I hope to find it again, but I have never seen a bottle that says 8 yr.

Thanks in advance for the info.

Clint

[TNbourbon]

The basic Wild Turkey 101 domestically is a 'marriage' of 6, 8 and 10yo bourbons. See this recent thread:
http://www.straightbourbon.com/forum...Turkey+101+age
As for the WT 12yo, that was a good find -- it hasn't been made for several years, and hasn't been distributed domestically for almost a decade. It remained export-only in its latter days. We ALL hope to find more of it -- harder and harder to do.

[Gillman]

Tim, I've found a "harsh" quality in 101 at times, do you find this?

Gary

[ProofPositive]

Tim, I've found a "harsh" quality in 101 at times, do you find this?

Gary

Not to but-in....but, I have found that to be the case in some of the 101 in the last couple of years. About the only bourbon I drank much of over the last 20 years (until here lately), was WT101 & MM. I have noticed changes in both of them over that period of time. I wish I had stockpiled the true WT101 8yo while it was still aplenty.

[TNbourbon]

Tim, I've found a "harsh" quality in 101 at times, do you find this?

Gary

To be honest, Gary, it's been a long time since I've sampled from a recent bottle. I've had WT12, RR101, Tribute and KY Spirit open recently (the 12 is gone, alas -- more in the bunker, though ), and tasted from an old 8yo mini. But no recent 101.

[Gillman]

I like the regular WT and some bottlings of 101. I like RR (more familiar with the older 101 proof version but that will have to change!). I only taste KS occasionally. I plan to pick up a Rare Breed soon. I like the WR profile, I feel its most successful bottles are the regular WT because of the careful balance it usually gets. Maybe 101 is subject to some batch variation, being higher proof it may be more noticeable. Anyway I'll try it again soon.

Gary

P.S. I've noted the discussion on the other thread about current 101 being a mingling of different years' production. I don't think that has anything to do (or very much) with an occasional harsh bottle. WT tends to be a robust product with a particular woody note. Maybe because of that, regular WT (I understand) is a mingling i.e., with some different years in there, so of course is Rare Breed, and now 101. Even the old (and still the export) WT 8 year old probably had some whiskey in it older than 8 years... The minglings give a chance to soften and develop some of the feisty palate. RB is very good in general although bottles vary I find.

[Joeluka]

I came across a couple of old bottles of Wild Turkey 8yr 101 from the late 60's in my wife's grandparents "bunker'. I'll tell you this, one bottle was ruined from being left on its side for too long but I opened one that was stored upright and it was different from anything any regular 101 WT I've tasted. It tasted more like one of the 12yr from the '90s or even closer to Tribute. The difference between the older and newer current 101 is night and day.
If your on LI drop me a line and I'll pour you a glass and you decide.

[Gillman]

That's interesting, it looks like the "good old days" really were.

Wild Turkey, the 80 proof regular brand, is a very good product. In my view it is the best of the widely available bourbon brands. However rarely does it seem as available as, say, Beam White, Maker's or of course Jack Daniel. I often wonder why that is, I think it may be the name of the brand and the label graphics, kind of "feisty" and perhaps projecting a more down-home image than many restaurants feel they reflect..

Gary

[kbuzbee]

That's interesting, it looks like the "good old days" really were.

Wild Turkey, the 80 proof regular brand, is a very good product. In my view it is the best of the widely available bourbon brands. However rarely does it seem as available as, say, Beam White, Maker's or of course Jack Daniel. I often wonder why that is, I think it may be the name of the brand and the label graphics, kind of "feisty" and perhaps projecting a more down-home image than many restaurants feel they reflect..

Gary

I think there is some truth to that image thing.... I think it was more true many years ago. More people today associate Wild Turkey with high quality and bold flavor than with intense fire.

I do wish the basic WT101 had the body the 8yo had. Many people say differently but I have to feel that the success of RB, RR and KS have taken their toll on the basic product. I still enjoy it, just less frequently. I will gladly let the quality of base 101 slip to have KS available any time I want it.

Ken

[kbuzbee]

Tim, I've found a "harsh" quality in 101 at times, do you find this?

Gary

I haven't found it harsh, exactly, just lacking the depth and complexity of it's brethern.

Ken