mighty good

[cowdery]

I think the key to Wild Turkey is that it was a brand before it was a distillery. And it was always premium priced. Back when there were lots of distilleries in Kentucky, Austin Nichols shopped around. They didn't own a distillery, they bought whiskey that suited their specifications. I think it was in the early 70s, after so many distilleries had closed, that they finally bought Boulevard, which is the distillery they still own. Boulevard had long been one of their main suppliers.

The point is that people who owned a distillery were tempted to make as much as they could and sell it anyway they could, they weren't necessarily concentrating on making one brand and making it as good as possible. Also, because Wild Turkey had the courage to hold to its premium pricing when bourbon sales started to decline, they never had to cheapen the product. Many other brands (Old Grand-Dad jumps to mind) panicked and started cutting their price, then their whiskey, which just caused their sales to collapse even faster.

Even today, with WT owning a distillery, they don't sell bulk whiskey or make private label or bargain brands. They make Wild Turkey and that's it. The worst thing they make is their brown label, which I think is 84 proof (that neighborhood). Everything else is great.

Good for Wild Turkey. They've done it right.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A>

[MurphyDawg]

it seems to me you in it to win if you put QUALITY PRODUCT as the #1 priority. hey by the way is the WT distillery close to bardstown. would I be able to get to it during festival time??


all this praise makes me wanna try a bottling even more


hmmm what holiday can i invent to buy a bottle next. . . . . .


Tom (gonna go Turkey huntin') C

[bobbyc]

It's in Anderson county next to Nelson county I don't know how far it is from Bardstown but I would guess not more than 20 miles . Probably as close as Makers Mark and a little further than Jim Beam. As you go toward Lawenceburg you are heading also toward Versailes and Frankfort. ( Labrot & Graham and Buffalo Trace) . You get to Bardstown and you are in the heart of Bourbon Country.

Bobby Cox

[cowdery]

I ran over there last year during the festival. It isn't far. It's closer than Versailles/Frankfort.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A>

[ratcheer]

Here in Alabama ABC stores, there is an 80-proof Wild Turkey. I have never tried it.

Tim

[ratcheer]

While I will vote for Rare Breed.

There is a strange flavor in Russell's Reserve that I have tasted before, but I just can't put my finger on it. I don't think it was in a bourbon, though. It is driving me nuts trying to remember what it reminds me of.

Everyone here probably knows that Rare Breed is my very favorite. I wanted to like the RR better (because its a little less expensive), but the RB still tops my list.

Tim

[ratcheer]

Yes, yes!

While I still love my Elijah Craig 12-yr and Old Forester 100, I am very close to declaring WT 101 as my everyday pour. It has a wonderful flavor and body. It always satisfies me.

Tim

[Giobo]

My only complaint with Wild Turkey is thier deceptive marketing. When they changed their 8 year old which for many years was their signature bottling to "unknown years" they kept a large #8 in the middle of thier label, implying that it was the same age. I thought they were one of the classiest bourbons on the market until they pulled that stunt. To this day WT does not indicate the age of their bourbon on their label. In my opinion, they have tarnished their image by such a cheap marketing ploy.

[cowdery]

I have had it in bars when nothing better was available. The 80 proof WT is 80 proof WT. Nuff said.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A>

[vasshopper]

Rare Breed is the best of the W-T line and at $20 plus tax it doesn't get any better than that, except of course for the old STITZEL-WELLER high-end bourbons. LIFE is GOOD!! ------Den Johnson