Wd Turkey 81 proof?

[callmeox]

Wild Turkey 81 proof has joined the 80 and 101 proof expressions on Ohio's price list for May. Has anyone seen this elsewhere or have information on it?

Since the 80 proof contains younger whiskey and is not just a lower proof version of the 101, could the 81 be the 101 with more water?

[OscarV]

This is very interesting.

I wonder if WT is going to drop the 80prf?

Go with 101 and 81 for marketing reasons, the 101 is their signature and maybe they want to push the 81 out front ahead of all the other 80's.

[kickert]

81 one makes a lot of sense. Who wouldn't want to get more and the 0.5% increase in proof is negligible for a distillery and created a unique marking (I have never seen 81% before).

[callmeox]

The price listed is about 10% higher than the 80 proof of the same volume so that would be an interesting way to slide in an increase.

[smokinjoe]

80...81....Whatever it takes...

[callmeox]

80...81....Whatever it takes...

Yeah, and I could hear the champagne chilling in the background.

FWIW, there have been a dozen or so new COLA entries for Wild Turkey in the last month after being silent since the American Honey approvals. Unfortunately, there is little detail in any of them.

[DeanSheen]

Bahh! Turkey keeps messing around on the low end.

Bring back the good Birds!

[G.H.Adams]

I'll drink to that. They need to bring back the 8 and 12 year old.

[Josh]

Sounds like a mistake to me.

[callmeox]

Sounds like a mistake to me.

As tough as it is to get something listed in Ohio, I can't see them listing three sizes of a product by mistake. There is something to it.

[Rughi]

My guess is that the 81 matters more to the TTB than anyone else in the production process.

[cowdery]

While 81 proof makes some marketing sense as a parallel to WT's distinctive 101 proof, I suspect this is an Ohio-only thing based on some peculiarity of Ohio's always peculiar liquor laws; i.e., a way to take a price increase under the guise of a new listing. It seems like too small of a thing to really bother with otherwise.

On the other hand, Ohio has often been a bellwether as things have to be listed there well in advance of their scheduled release.

[OscarV]

I suspect this is an Ohio-only thing based on some peculiarity of Ohio's always peculiar liquor laws; i.e., a way to take a price increase under the guise of a new listing.

The price listed is about 10% higher than the 80 proof of the same volume so that would be an interesting way to slide in an increase.

So what is the current price of WT 101 & 80 in Ohio?

Here in MI it is $21.97 & $19.97.

I can't see WT having an 81prf just for one state.

[callmeox]

So what is the current price of WT 101 & 80 in Ohio?

Here in MI it is $21.97 & $19.97.

I can't see WT having an 81prf just for one state.

750ml bottle

80/81/101

16.25/18.00/21.00

[sailor22]

According the Jim Russell its a new iteration containing more older whiskey.

New Bottle, new label, new proof new Whiskey. National distribution.

[ThomasH]

This stuff is priced cheaper by the ounce in the 1L size than in the 750 size, which is almost never the case. State law in Ohio mandates that liquor permit holders must purchase at wholesale, all liquor in 1L size bottles unless the brand is not available in 1L size. WT must really want to push this as a new release. It is a clever marketing gimmick!

Thomas

[kickert]

According the Jim Russell its a new iteration containing more older whiskey.

New Bottle, new label, new proof new Whiskey. National distribution.

[harshest]

I see this will be available here in Michigan after May 1st. The state web site shows it as "Wild Turkey 81" and will have a state minimum of $17.98, two dollars less than the 80 proof and three dollars less than 101.

[DeanSheen]

We saw the barrel head at the distillery on the tour.

[callmeox]

Barrel heads with the new label style and the 81 proof extension (from the Wild Turkey tour).

http://yfrog.com/h2h0lkfj

[cowdery]

Got the story on this direct from a Wild Turkey representative (production guy) at the Sampler. The new 81 proof is the 101 proof plus water. The 80 is younger whiskey, about 5 years, while the 81/101 is more like 7 to 8. He wouldn't exactly say this but the look on his face said, "The difference is that the 80 is crap while we're pretty proud of the 81.

I wonder how they're going to communicate that to consumers?

[OscarV]

This is the first time that I know of that a bourbon has increased it's age in the last 10 years or so when everyone else is dropping age statements and going with younger whiskey in the bottle.

[Parkersback]

Can you imagine the groundswell of support from hardcore bourbon heads if they brought the 101 back to a true 8 years?

[SBOmarc]

Can you imagine the groundswell of support from hardcore bourbon heads if they brought the 101 back to a true 8 years?

That would be very nice indeed.

A Wild Turkey 81 proof made with older stock.It seems to me that going after the Basil Hayden drinkers is the target.

I just don't get the why?

[craigthom]

That would be very nice indeed.

A Wild Turkey 81 proof made with older stock.It seems to me that going after the Basil Hayden drinkers is the target.

I just don't get the why?

We know better, but I've met people who think higher proof liquor is the same as lower proof, only with more alcohol, for proving manliness and getting drunk faster.

When I've mentioned adding water to a barrel strength bourbon to get it down to something they can drink, they say they don't want watered down whiskey; they want something that was MADE at the lower proof. I guess they think bourbon comes out of the keg at the bottled strength.

And they can make a lower price point with lower proof, since there's less whiskey in the bottles.