1. Wild Turkey 101 8 Year
Wild Turkey 101 8 Year is one of the core lineups released by the Wild Turkey Distillery. From price to taste, I think it is the most essential line and shows the character of Wild Turkey whiskey well.
Wild Turkey 101 8 Year is aged for at least 8 years, gaining a rich flavor within the oak barrels. During this time, it interacts with the inside of the oak barrel, changing the color, taste, and aroma of the whiskey.
Wild Turkey is a representative bourbon whiskey, favored by many people as one of the preferred brands.
Wild Turkey 101 8 Year is readily available in 700ml and 1L sizes. The label indicates it is a straight bourbon whiskey, and it features the number 101, which denotes its alcohol content.
In North America, the alcohol content is determined by dividing 101 Proof by 2, thus the alcohol content is 50.5%. I’m not sure about the old bottles, but the shape of the bottle is reminiscent of a decanter, with a wild turkey embossed in the middle of the glass bottle, and it has a cork stopper.
2. Wild Turkey
1) Bourbon Whiskey and Corn
Since Wild Turkey 101 8 Year, the subject of this article, represents a pillar of bourbon whiskey, I would like to talk about bourbon whiskey this time.
Bourbon is said to have been named in gratitude for the support given by the French Bourbon dynasty (Louis XVI) to the United States during the American Revolutionary War. Therefore, the term bourbon is derived from the French Bourbon dynasty.
The name bourbon has become a unique proper noun classifying whiskey, originating from a region in Kentucky (Bourbon County or Bourbon Street).
Bourbon whiskey is made from corn, barley malt, and rye.
The United States possesses vast cornfields spread across its extensive lands. The initial setting of the protagonist’s home in the movie Interstellar is a corn farm.
In various American movies, when showing the rural villages or idyllic landscapes of the United States, corn is invariably featured alongside dairy farming.
The United States, with its surplus of corn, began to produce various products, among which, in my opinion, the most appealing is bourbon whiskey.
2) Tasting Notes
I compared tasting Wild Turkey 101 8 Year and Wild Turkey 13 Year Father and Son, and in terms of color, they appeared quite similar.
The aroma is dominantly vanilla and caramel, with a fairly strong alcohol presence. Father and Son feels similar to the 8 Year but adds notes of acetone and citrus.
Clearly, Father and Son, being aged for 13 years and having a relatively lower alcohol content (43%), has less of an alcohol bite in its aroma.
The 8 Year has a much stronger impact. When it lingers in the mouth, there’s a spiciness (spices), a bit of nuttiness, vanilla, and sweetness that can be tasted.
The finish is quite long, with a sense of dark chocolate.
3. Overall Review
The intensity and high alcohol content of Wild Turkey 101 8 Year are appealing. While it might be considered monotonous, that is relative.
Therefore, when craving the sweetness and strong vanilla aroma, drinking it neat does the trick, but if that intensity feels overwhelming, enjoying it on the rocks can be equally satisfying.
Comparing it with Father and Son, the praise for the 8 Year might seem modest. However, considering the price difference is nearly double, it could be seen as reasonable.
With its sweet, rich impact, and high alcohol content, its value for money is quite good. If I were to recommend a whiskey, Wild Turkey 101 8 Year would definitely be on the list.