Somehow to this point I've completely neglected Wild Turkey, a distillery I like quite a bit. Let's take care of that.
The history of Wild Turkey goes back to 1891, though it's mostly a post-Prohibition story. Early on the whiskey made in Tyrone, Kentucky (the distillery had different names through the years) was sold to wholesalers with their own brand names. One of those brands was 'Wild Turkey,' first introduced in 1940. The name originates from a turkey hunting trip where a wholesaler executive brought some whiskey for his friends. Later he was repeatedly asked for 'that wild turkey bourbon.' In 1971 (after 30+ years of selling but not producing) that wholesaler, called Austin Nichols, bought the distillery and renamed it, also 'Wild Turkey.' From 1980-2009 Pernod Ricard owned the operation before selling to the Campari Group, where it remains. 2011 saw the opening of a brand new distilling facility in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky (near the old site) with presumably massively increased production capacity.
The face of the Wild Turkey company today is Matthew McConaughey. He was hired to be a brand spokesman and star in their advertising, though he's been a creative force in the whiskey making as well. In 2018 a new Wild Turkey product, called Longbranch, appeared on shelves and includes his signature on the bottle. While I'll have to give that one it's own review another day, I'll just say it's a really good sipper.
Russell's Reserve comes from the father-son tandem of master distillers at Wild Turkey. Jimmy Russell has been in the position for 60 years and is the longest tenured master distiller in the world, or so they say. He's long been the man behind all things Wild Turkey and created most of their current expressions. His son, Eddie Russell, has also been a master distiller since 2015. Their collaboration created a brand of small batch whiskey celebrating years of labor. The one we're looking at today is the 10 year Bourbon, though there's also a 6 year Rye and single barrel versions of both as well. Considering the awards on this page go back to 2010, that's probably when this exact expression was created, though the Russell's Reserve brand apparently began in the early aughts.
Even though Wild Turkey makes a number of expressions under the Wild Turkey (like Rare Breed, Kentucky Spirit and Masters Keep) and Russell's Reserve brands, Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon continues to be their flagship as it's been for decades. This review will be kind of a twofer, though the main subject will be Russell's Reserve. I feel it must be compared to the 101, an especially popular and always available staple for any Bourbon lover. The big question is simply this: is paying the increased cost to Russell's Reserve 10 year worth it?
Stats: RR10y WT101
ABV - 45% (90 proof) 50.5% (101 proof)
Mash - 75 corn/13 rye/12 barley 75 corn/13 rye/12 barley
Maturation - fresh charred oak fresh charred oak
Age - at least 10 years no age statement (though typically 6+)
Location - Lawrenceburg, KY Lawrenceburg, KY
Price - $35-40 $25 or less (got mine for $19.99)
Tasting Notes (works for both):
Smell - Caramel and vanilla, some rye
Color - Reddish amber though not overly dark, can't tell difference in color
Taste - Full flavored Bourbon goodness, rye spices apparent
Finish - Dry spiciness is what lingers, RR smoother than the 101
Final Thoughts:
These two definitely belong together. It turned out to be a great decision to compare and contrast them side by side. Wild Turkey 101 will always have a place in my home bar because it's so good, easy to find and cheap. It can be used for whatever you need. But I'm really happy to have snagged the more refined Russell's Reserve and learned it doesn't lose anything with extra age and a lower proof. I'd drink it any time and it's being added to the short list of <100 proof Bourbons of which I'm a fan.
To answer the main question here (worth the $?), well that depends. If you walk into a store and 101 is like $20 and Russell's Reserve is $40+, then probably not. If you find RR in the low $30s and/or the difference is <$10, I'd strongly recommend it if you already like Wild Turkey.
Taking a step back from the 101 comparison, I should add that this is a solid whiskey in the ~$40 (or less) price range that's also readily available, a pretty uncommon thing in itself. That alone may make it worth it. I'd take this over Eagle Rare (a comparable and harder to find Buffalo Trace product) any day.
Next that 6 year Rye has become intriguing, at the right price of course. For tonight, cheers!
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