Wild Turkey Longbranch

Enticing ad campaign aside, this is slightly above average. Its easy to drink, the bottle looks sharp, it's priced fairly as is everything the Russels seem to release...and despite their dabbling with Hollywood (which is a poor fit imo) this somehow barely avoids being gimmicky. I dont know about the mesquite claim...I find the wood level to be mild. Not Nancy Pelosi total shrinkage....I mean AOC mild. Wood level. D'o ya... see what I....never mind. Adding anything other than your lips to this glass will degrade the integrity. Its neat or nothing due to its barely-there backbone. But despite these frailties, its pretty good bang for your buck and perfect for parties full of people who dont understand whiskey and will drink your whole bottle and not seem to notice and you can be cool about it because it was inexpensive and then you can be the cool guy who lets his exotic whiskey get pounded down the gullets of ex-fratboy screamers arguing with the wind towards each other, and doesnt seem to mind so long as he gets to keep the empty bottle. That's you. Youre the cool one in that situation. Dont forget it. And in that scenario that could never happen to me but might you, this bottle is your ideal wingman.

Has that WT nose. Almost reminds me of RR10 on the nose, tbh. Tobacco, leather, cinnamon spice and a touch of earthiness. When I first opened the bottle, I hated it. Between friends, we drank half on night one. I guessed, if I gave it two weeks in a half-full bottle, it would get better. It did. It tastes a lot like a diluted blend of WT101 & RR10 but without the strengths of either it falls at a weird in-between and demands asking whether this product was a necessity in WT's lineup. The answer? No. Final verdict? After 2 weeks with some oxygen, Longbranch has all the characteristics of a good WT product, but ultimately falls short, especially in its price-range, of being a product worth purchasing for ~$20 more than WT101 or $5 less than Rare Breed.

Neat - On the nose, it smells pretty good but its also very faint. Typical bourbon notes of corn, vanilla, and honey but they are very faint. So its not a surprise when the aromas dont transfer over to the palate as obviously. On the palate, I get more vanilla than anything. Its very faint, but goes down extremely smooth. The finish lingers pleasantly on the palate and is sweet.

Spicy pecan / pecan shell smell. Color is very light but legs are strong! Hold well and can feel it in your mouth as it presses down against on your tongue while you drink. This is heavy! Initial taste is nothing but a gentle but over crowding spice which then fades away into a “im chewing tree bark” finish. Leaves your mouth dry. This new experience has left me wanting more.

Neat Nose is dominated by woody tannins in a good way with fruit woods that I use or smoke with supporting. Apple and cherry, it flip flops every wiff. The pallette is classic bourbon with more tart green apple coming into play. A nice finish for the low proof point, charcoal smoke comes to play near the end. Probably one of the best celebrity whiskeys out there.

I enjoy this bourbon. Quite spicy and drinks above its proof. Definite vanilla on the nose with a bit of nice oak. Finish is spicy and quite satisfying. At a quality price point I recommend on your shelf as it’s a nice 2nd step for new bourbon drinkers or experienced ones that just want something proofed down a bit without sacrificing taste. Recommended.