Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit (Single Barrel)

Nose: Delightful, classic bourbon scents. This really has that traditional smell you associate with bourbon. It is a bit sweet and has caramel, vanilla, a little corn, and a little brown sugar. You can really enjoy sniffing this the whole time you are drinking it and it, no doubt, does effect your taste of it. Later sniffs were just as good as the earlier ones. Palate: This has a nice, rich mouthfeel. It is oily and thick. It gives notice that it is in your mouth. The rich flavor matches the nose. It has a deep rich sweetness, vice a sugar, candy sweetness. There is no heat up front but then it starts rising as you enter the finish and just keeps going. It isn’t burning or harsh, but it is pretty intense and let’s you know it is there. It had a little more “oomph” than some of the other 100/101 proofs reviewed so far. For flavors, I get a decent amount of oak, some toasted grains, a hint of spice, a little marshmallow and some dark chocolate. It is a bit strange because it leaves the impression of sweetness without being sugary sweet. The finish seems pretty long to me and there is definitely a residual aftertaste that has hints of pepper and a little rye. Even after the finish is, well, finished, there’s a pleasant aftertaste that lingers. I would not hesitate to recommend this as a very nice sipper. Take your time with it and it will reward you with a bourbon experience that will leave you wondering what the next flavor you taste will be. Comment: One of the things I love about this bottle is, well, first, the bottle. It has a very appealing shape but also fits well on the shelf. Secondly, I love that they tell you where the barrel came from, from which this juice originated. My bottle is from Barrel # 94 from Rickhouse 17 (or, maybe 12? it is handwritten, so I’m not sure), Rick 45. It clocks in at 101 proof. I haven’t had this in quite some time and there wasn’t much left in the bottle. Since this is the only bottle of this I have (I think), I don’t know how much variation there is between barrels. BUT….if my buddy Jimmy or his son Eddie (the master distillers at Wild Turkey) pick these barrels (both their signatures are on the bottle), then I would not hesitate in getting another bottle. Now. I know that everyone has their favorite and not-so-favorite distillers. If you like Wild Turkey, I think you definitely like this. If you don’t…..well, you still may like it because I think it is complex and different enough from the regular Wild Turkey to make it worth a try. The mash bill for this is 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley. It is reportedly aged somewhere in the 8 - 9 year range (ah….the “sweet spot”, says me!). Lastly, the good news/bad news: The bad news is….this is single barrel and I bought this bottle so long ago, there’s no way you will find another exactly like it. The good news is, those Russel boys know what the hell they are doing, so I’m pretty confident that ANY barrel they pick will be a good one, even if it doesn’t taste exactly the same as this one. [NOTE: After doing my Internet research I found out that they have changed the bottle on this. It is now a much plainer bottle that lost all its character. Too bad.]