There are certain brands in the bourbon industry that when you say them, everyone knows, even those not into bourbon. Wild Turkey is one of them. I have to admit, when I started down this road of bourbon, I pretty much ignored Wild Turkey. The “kickin’ chicken”, Wild Turkey 101, these conjured up long nights back in college and not the ‘sophisticated” bourbon journey I was embarking on. Well, let’s just say due to some big Turkey heads in the NCBurbCrue (#NCBurbCrew on Instagram) I am learning to appreciate with Jimmy and Eddie Russell are doing in Lawrenceburg. Thanks to @TheBourbonWhiskeyLibrary, I got my hands on a pick of Kentucky Spirit, a 101 proof single barrel release from Wild Turkey. This one is a pick from Southern Spirits and based on the title, I am excited to see where it goes.
A red hued amber color in the glass with slow forming, but very even running legs, heading down the inside of the glen.
A full nose gives off some floral notes initially with traditional caramel and vanilla hiding under tanned leather. As the pour opens up, I start getting some light grain undernotes that layer in very nicely with the floral that was up front. The nose gives an overall “dark” feel. By dark, I mean very rich with deep notes coming in from the very beginning. In summary, a fantastic nose.
First sip reveals a mouthfeel that, at first, feels a little thin, but when I swallow, I get that great oily coating throughout, so it was a bit deceiving. According to Eddie Russell, these barrels typically run 8 to 9 years old, and you can feel that nice age to it. That light leather that was on the nose is much more apparent in the taste along with big spice notes. Dark chocolate covered cherries come in mid-palate that, when partnered with the great rye spice, gives a very complimentary layer of flavors. The flavors continue to develop to where I almost miss where the palate ends and the finish begins.
The spice is winner here on a very nice medium-long finish. This is playing at 101 proof, so the finish is really dependent on the mash bill more than the heat from the proof and it work. The spice spreads to the side of my tongue an opens up and releases some woody notes of cedar and some very light pine. The sweet, viscous caramel notes round out what turned out to be an amazing pour.
One word: wow. I am starting to understand why Turkey-heads are the way they are. This Kentucky Spirit pick is big and bold with some very gentle undertones. It makes you think, which I enjoy. It is called “Cigar Friendly”, which remains to be seen. However, I can say, without the cigar, this is a delightful pour for those times I want to dig deep into a bourbon and pull out as much as I can, because there is a great deal there to pull out.
Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit - "Cigar Friendly"
7.4
Pros
- Big rich nose
- Very complex
Cons
- May be too "cerebral" for some
- Limited availability