Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey Review

Apprehensive pie, eating crow, the ol' human foot in the mouth … all ways of proverb what I soon may be experiencing in regard to Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit. Well, maybe.

Many of you might think my mail from several weeks ago titled, "R.I.P. Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit." It was in many ways a rant, though my intention was never to mutter (okay, maybe a petty). In truth, my sole objective was to shed light on what I consider specifics of the expression requiring attention. Without that attention, my concern was (and remains) that Kentucky Spirit might be seeing its final days.

Well, information technology just and so happens that shortly after publishing my opinion, a friend of mine informed me that the newly redesigned Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit bottles had been plant in a town well-nigh mine. At offset I scoffed at the thought of running to an out-of-the-fashion shop just to grab the same old Kentucky Spirit housed in a Rare Breed canteen. Iii minutes later I was on Google Maps recalculating my afternoon drive. 🙂 Such is the life of a Wild Turkey fanatic! Here Campari – take my coin.

Oh, and money I did spend. While my purchasing experience with Kentucky Spirit has typically ranged from $45 to $55 (specifically "retail shelf" or non-private-select bottles) this new-style Kentucky Spirit offering was priced at $65. That'south right – $v more the Russell'south Reserve Single Barrel sitting next to it.

I'm honestly not sure what this new pricing is all most. You become from an iconic "Turkey tail feather" bottle blueprint – one claimed as prohibitively costly (at to the lowest degree purportedly) – to substantially a Wild Turkey Rare Brood bottle redo and charge more? I merely don't go information technology. At least the presumed savings established by killing the old-way bottle isn't being passed to the consumer. In fact, the consumer is shelling out even more. Over again, I merely don't get it.

Pricing bated, I'm still excited to run across what this Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit has to offer. Right off the bat there'south two things catching my centre. Starting time, the characterization states it's from rickhouse A. Knowing which rickhouses are in season this year, I'm 99% sure this is Camp Nelson A.

Second, it was bottled in 2019, which means – in theory – that this whiskey could've been distilled at the new facility which opened in the Leap of 2011. I'm doubtful though, as Eddie Russell has mentioned that it took a few months to get things where he and Jimmy Russell wanted. Kentucky Spirit is traditionally cited equally an 8-year (or then) expression; still, with no official age statement, it'southward still possible that this bourbon is "Wild Turkey 2.0."

At this point there's simply one thing left to do … gustation the damn thing! Bottle designs, price, and facilities are all interesting to chat about, but it does nothing for the soul. I think it'due south time to see what this whiskey is truly made of. It's time for a cascade!

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Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit – 101 proof KSBW – no age stated – bottled 1/14/2019 from barrel #0440, warehouse A (assumed Camp Nelson), rick #vii – distilled and bottled past the Wild Turkey Distilling Company, Lawrenceburg, KY

Tasted neat in a Glencairn after a few minutes residual …

Color: deep bister

Nose: ("elegant" modern WT) vanilla cake frosting, honey, apple butter, herbal tea & lemon, light oak char, tangerine peel, nutmeg, hints of brown sugar

Taste: vanilla, butter toffee, caramel drizzle, Bit-O-Honey processed, orangish peel, sweet oak, nutmeg, herbal & peppery spice

End: long & sweet west/ lingering spice – silky caramel, vanilla, lightly toasted oak, nutmeg, clove, hints of leather & pepper

Overall: Let's be honest – this isn't every bit complex or layered as the boilerplate Russell's Reserve Single Barrel private selection, or arguably, many standard retail Russell'southward unmarried-barrel offerings. That existence said, this Kentucky Spirit excels at giving enthusiasts a standout single-butt representation of Wild Turkey 101. All of your cadre Wild Turkey bourbon notes are here in excellent course: vanilla, caramel, toffee, sweet oak, blistering spice, etc. In fact, it's everything you dear almost Wild Turkey 101 but with a fine-tuned and slightly sweeter vibe.

Unfortunately, everytime I start mentally comparing modern Kentucky Spirit to Wild Turkey 101 I tin can't help just reflect on the significant price gap. Admittedly, this Kentucky Spirit is a classier pour – but – $65 versus $25? Yeah, I'chiliad merely not getting $twoscore worth of divergence hither. It's a tasty cascade, and honestly, I find myself reaching for this item Kentucky Spirit canteen quite often. Yet even if you factor out Wild Turkey 101 you still have to argue with Russell's Reserve Single Butt being confusingly cheaper. It doesn't have a Mensa-level brain to handle the math. $65 101-proof chill-filtered single-barrel KSBW versus $60 110-proof NCF unmarried-barrel KSBW … the seesaw is most definitely tilting.

I suppose there's an argument for profile, equally information technology's my understanding that Eddie Russell designates beforehand which barrels are suited best for each of the two Wild Turkey single-barrel options. As skilled and experienced as Eddie may exist, that doesn't mean one couldn't dilute Russell'south Reserve Single Barrel from 110 to 101 proof and get pretty damn close on occasion. Hell, you might simply stop upwards with something better than the average Kentucky Spirit (barrel depending, of course) due to Russell'south Reserve Single Butt being non-arctic filtered.

Which brings me to my final point …

Here's your humble pie dorsum. I'm not eating crow or putting my pes in my mouth either – at least not yet. I'll concede that this 2019 Kentucky Spirit is damn good – yes, it most certainly is. On the flipside, its expense remains unjustified with so many quality alternatives out there. From everyday Wild Turkey 101 to Russell'due south Reserve Single Barrel (and expressions in betwixt, such as Rare Breed), it's going to be a difficult road for Kentucky Spirit to get back to its glory days.

Rating: 3.75/5 🦃

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Source: https://rarebird101.com/2019/03/19/wild-turkey-kentucky-spirit-0440-a-7-2019/

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