Wild Turkey Distilling Company, the award-winning distillery known for its bold Kentucky bourbon, announced today that it is bringing Wild Turkey 101 8-Year-Old Bourbon to the United States as a permanent offering, with the product rolling out on shelves alongside the classic Wild Turkey 101 this April. Rooted in a recipe that has stood the test of time, this age-stated bourbon pays homage to the original Wild Turkey 101, which was famously bottled after eight years of aging. In recent years, Wild Turkey 101 8-Year-Old Bourbon has exclusively been available in select export markets, where it has garnered a devoted following and become a best-selling cult favorite among consumers and collectors around the world. Despite its rarity in the U.S., the bourbon remains one of Master Distiller Jimmy Russell’s favorite whiskeys – making the permanent U.S. launch particularly special for the Russell family as Jimmy begins his eighth decade at Wild Turkey.
“Wild Turkey 101 8-Year-Old Bourbon has always been a favorite – not just for my granddad Jimmy, but for bourbon lovers around the globe. After one sip, you’ll see why,” says Wild Turkey’s Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell. “This bourbon holds a special place in our distillery’s history, and its return to the U.S. proves the timeless quality of its recipe. As age-stated expressions become more popular across the category in the U.S., we are looking forward to more bourbon enthusiasts being able to enjoy this masterfully crafted bourbon.”
The United States’ eagerness for an age-stated Wild Turkey 101 was evidenced last year when the distillery released a limited run of age-stated bourbon in a commemorative bottle to celebrate Jimmy Russell’s 70th anniversary at Wild Turkey. That one-time offering, blended by Eddie and Bruce Russell as a celebratory tribute to Jimmy, featured the iconic Master Distiller’s signature 8-year-old, 101-proof bourbon along with an additional blend of 8- to 9-year-old whiskeys that were hand-selected from a few of his favorite rickhouses. With the growing appreciation for age-stated bourbons in the U.S., the permanent reintroduction of Wild Turkey 101 8-Year-Old Bourbon caters to those seeking an aged expression of the whiskey that still shines with bold flavor from its classic high-proof.
The extended aging of Wild Turkey 101 8-Year-Old brings more complex notes of toffee and clove with an even longer finish than traditional Wild Turkey 101, enhancing the bourbon’s profile and making it ideal for sipping neat or on the rocks. It’s a mature and rich expression of the bold character of Wild Turkey 101, which has long been a favorite of bourbon lovers and bartenders for the depth and flavor it brings to classic whiskey cocktails like the brand’s signature “Bold Fashioned.” With the addition of 8-Year-Old 101 to Wild Turkey’s range in the U.S., the portfolio now offers a bourbon to suit a wide variety of occasions, serves, and tastes.
Compared to the standard Wild Turkey 101 offering that is made using a blend of 6- to 8-year-old bourbons, Wild Turkey 101 8-Year-Old is blended from a smaller batch of barrels that are hand-selected for the characteristics and complexity they’ll bring to a neat pour. The resulting bourbon features refined notes of vanilla, clove, toffee, charred oak, lemon zest, and black cherry, complemented by a long, lingering finish of brown sugar, dried fruit, vanilla, and allspice. Packaged in a 750ml bottle for the U.S., the suggested retail price is $45 USD.
About Wild Turkey
The distillery for Wild Turkey Bourbon is in Kentucky, situated on a deep limestone shelf on the Kentucky River. The shelf acts as a natural filter and provides the distillery with crystal-clear water, vital to making such a high-quality product. Wild Turkey features the legendary father-and-son Master Distilling team of Jimmy and Eddie Russell, who have over 100 years of collective experience working at the Wild Turkey distillery, and are now joined by the next generation, Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell.
The famous Wild Turkey brand name first came about back in 1940 when distillery executive Thomas McCarthey took a few warehouse samples on a Wild Turkey hunting trip with a group of friends. The following year, his friends asked him for “some of that Wild Turkey whiskey,” and the brand was born.
Wild Turkey is distilled and put into new oak barrels at a much lower ABV than most bourbons. This results in a much richer flavor, as less is cooked out during the production process. Aging in the highest quality new American oak barrels with the heaviest char available (the Number 4 “alligator” char) imparts a smooth flavor and deep amber color to the whiskey. The barrels are filled at the distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.
