Wild Turkey Distilling Company tells BourbonBlog.com that they are bringing Wild Turkey 101 8-Year-Old Bourbon to the United States as a permanent offering, as the product is on shelves alongside Wild Turkey 101 now.
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.
Pricing and details according to Wild Turkey:
$45 USD – 750 ml
Notes of vanilla, clove, toffee, charred oak, lemon zest and black cherry.
Finish of brown sugar, dried fruit, vanilla, and allspice.
In recent years, Wild Turkey 101 8-Year-Old Bourbon has exclusively been available in select export markets. Despite its rarity in the US, the bourbon remains one of Master Distiller Jimmy Russell’s favorite whiskeys – making the permanent US 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 US proves the timeless quality of its recipe. As age-stated expressions become more popular across the category in the US, 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 US, 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 according to the distillery. With the addition of 8-Year-Old 101 to Wild Turkey’s range in the US, 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. F
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