10/2008 WILD TURKEY KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY (101 PROOF) AND RUSSELL’S RESERVE KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY
Funny, frequently when we mention WILD TURKEY to someone, their eyes widen with a sort of mock-yet-sorta-real fear. “Oh, the TURKEY. Yeah, serious stuff.” Perhaps WILD TURKEY is a bit like Tequila — the first time folks try it, they try it the wrong way. They’re at a bar or party, they’re already loopy, and they do a few shots and… Well, we need say no more. In truth, WILD TURKEY 101 is a good Bourbon and a great deal at $20 to $25 retail for a fifth. We enjoy it with a couple ice cubes, which take a little of the heat off and helps the whiskey show its flavors — white pepper, honey, menthol, and barrel. Very enjoyable. (Rating ***3/4)
RUSSELL’S RESERVE (90 proof) is a more recent WILD TURKEY product. It is aged 10 years and sold for a little over $30 retail for a fifth. Call it TURKEY IN A TIE. Like WT 101, RUSSELL’S RESERVE shows the same good flavors at WT 101, although they are a little less intense, and joined by a nice toffee note. It is enjoyable, but not quite as complex or engaging as one would expect from a Bourbon aged 10 years. In our humble view, the increased price provides an increase in the quality of the flavor, but not enough to justify a higher rating than WT 101. (Rating ***3/4)
To learn more about these Bourbons, surf to http://www.WildTurkeyBourbon.com. To see if our retailer can sell you a bottle, click here.
