Wild Turkey 8 Year 101 Proof (Old Label)

I’ve been waiting to try my first dusty wild turkey, and here she is. Someone sent over this sample and am excited to check it out. This one happens to be from a 1991 bottling at 101 proof and is an Italian export. I will be comparing it to a modern 2020 101 equivalent. The nose is sweet and rich with slightly dusty corn, dried cherries, a little cooked plumbs, oak, milk chocolate, baking spices, brown sugar/maple syrup, and a light leather note. The color is noticeably darker on this one compared to the 2020, and the nose is fairly different. The ‘91 is a lot less spicy on the nose. The palate is sweet and very oily with corn, light oak, dark fruit, caramel, a floral note and some nice baking spices. The 2020 has more pronounced spice and dark fruit, as well as that wild turkey funk, which I surprisingly didn’t pick up on the ‘91. But the ‘91 has a noticeably thicker mouthfeel. The finish is on the shorter side of long with a nice initial spike of old leather and then fades into sweet corn and some lingering spice and some vanilla. The 2020 might be slightly longer of a finish with a lot more spice until the very end. This was a fun comparison. It’s clear how things have changed over the last 30 years at Wild Turkey. The ‘91 had a darker color and much thicker mouthfeel than the modern one, but I think I prefer the modern profile. The 2020 has a more prominent nose and has nice spice, dark fruit, caramel sweetness throughout and some nice Wild Turkey Funk. I guess that would be the only thing I was surprised/let down by on the ‘91, the lack of the funk. I was under the impression that was a classic part of their profile. Maybe it was just this ‘91 batch. Either way, I enjoyed it, but I think I’ll save my pennies for now and utilize the modern offering.

Nose - Vanilla caramels, oaky cinnamon, hints of fresh bing cherries & maraschino cherries, caramel macchiato foam. Taste - Spicy cinnamon tingle, oaky vanilla caramel, sharp maraschino cherry sweet, hints of sweet wet tobacco Finish - Lingering oaky cinnamon, vanilla caramels, cinnamon tingle lingers, oaky caramel Score - 86/100 Final Thoughts - So this is pretty standard Wild Turkey to be honest. The 8 year age statement doesn't really make the standard 101 that much better but just keeps the standard profile that I enjoy about Wild Turkey. Nothing amazing, but just quality bourbon, although the finish is a bit more oaky than I remember but it's not distracting in any way. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Yes Would I buy a bottle? - Yes

Nose... Marshmallows, caramel, apricots and maple syrup just to name a few... Color... A light to medium copper.. Taste.... Subtle rye, toasted almonds, seasoned wood, pepper, tobacco and raisins... Overall... The higher proof, deep char and 6 to 8 years spent in the barrels gives this Bourbon such knockout flavors at a fantastic price. It's bold, complex and yet totally refined, even to drink neat which is my style. Change the packaging and rename it, then double the price, and people will purchase more of it than they do now. It's a STEAL....

1990 edition. Has some unique old oak bourbon funkiness. Nose: Vanilla, Honey, Cherries, Brown Sugar, Walnuts, Cloves, Cinnamon, Dark Chocolate, Licorice, Cinnamon, Lavender, Milk Chocolate Palate: Oranges, Honey, Cola, Leather, Hazlenuts, Dark Chocolate, Cloves, Root Beer, Maple Syrup, Roses Finish: Honey, Caramel, Orange Peels, Marzipan, Dark Chocolate, Almonds, Root Beer, Strawberries, Cherry Cola, Chili Pepper

Tasting a 2001 bottling from a sample. Simultaneously soft and spicy. Creamy at the outset but spicy in the middle through finish with an "English tea with one cube of sugar" quality. Tastes well-aged but not terribly complex. Medium long finish but no real development to speak of throughout. A bit disappointing. IMO, this didn't live up to the hype of what I've heard about old dusty WT101s

This stuff is under-rated. Luckily, I live in Japan, where it is readily available. It also costs about 3100 yen (a touch under $30) for a liter. It's well-balanced. It has notes of caramel, vanilla, prunes, tobacco, and leather. I enjoy it year round. I occasionally try more expensive bourbon, but I always return to Wild Turkey 8-year. It would be delicious at any price.