Wild Turkey 101
- Alcohol Content: 50.5%, 101 Proof
- Price Point: Budget Friendly, $20-$30
- Flavor Profile: Heat, Rye, Black Pepper, Citrus
- Nose: Spices, Orange Peel, Vanilla
Bottom Line: A great value when you consider the flavor and proof you get for the price. It’s a middle of the road bourbon that brings flavor to hold its own or to be used in cocktails.
Wild Turkey is a brand name that is well known in the bourbon world. When someone puts the proof in the name – 101 – they want you to know it has a bit of kick to it. It’s not your average bourbon that comes in at 80 as Jim Beam does or the 90 of Maker’s Mark. It’s 101, 50.5%. Over half. And you know what, when you take your first sip you notice that little extra. Wild Turkey 101 claims high rye content, an aging of six to eight years, and flavors of caramel, vanilla, toffee, and spice. As far as bourbon goes, Wild Turkey 101 falls in the middle to lower shelf. It’s a budget-friendly bourbon whiskey that punches well above its weight class, bringing big flavor and value to your glass. Considering that the average price of a bottle is somewhere in the mid-twenty-dollar range, this offering from Wild Turkey is quite a value.
Out of a Glencairn, the nose presents itself with a sweet vanilla found in fresh chocolate chip cookies, a light swath of orange peel and spice as mentioned on the label. This is followed by an almost floral note. The baking spices are reminiscent of Christmas. It’s light on corn, yet still semi-sweet. With the Glencairn glass, the caramel and vanilla profiles are more distinguished. A rocks glass loses some of the vapors and leaves the nose with a faint wisp of vanilla, and the ice brings out the citrus much more readily. The spice is toned down and the floral tones are still there, just not as prevalent.
The first sip makes you understand what it means to be 101. You feel a slight heat. On the palate, Wild Turkey 101 brings some heat from the spice, a hint of cinnamon, and the rye as well as barrel tannins that cling to the roof of the mouth and back of the tongue. Even though this bourbon is labeled as “high rye,” you can still pick out some of the sweeter flavors under the spice. The second sip brings about citrus that lingers on the tongue along with some black pepper. It also brings a sweet buttery vanilla and dark cherries. The higher alcohol content of this whiskey causes the oils to cling to the mouth, and the aftertaste lingers for a short while before fading away. A dash of water brought the citrus note to the front of the nose, and exposed a not-overly-sweet caramel hard candy to the mid-palate. Chilling Wild Turkey 101 over a large ice cube tamped down the sweetness and allowed the dry oak notes to swell and cling to the mouth. This allows Wild Turkey 101 to hold its own in a cocktail and prevents the whiskey from being overpowered by sweetness. The flavor of toffee that the label touts couldn’t be picked up on.
Wild Turkey 101 is a middle of the road, no frills bourbon. At the end of the day, a middle of the road bourbon in tasting glasses is still a standard bourbon. While there are only so many flavors this bourbon has to offer and it may not appeal to all due to the high rye content, it is definitely worth taking a chance on. In a mixed drink, the flavors and spice will not overpower the other ingredients and it’s enough of a bargain to keep on hand for when you don’t want to use up the good stuff. That being said, it is still good enough to enjoy by itself. There really aren’t any surprises about this one, but it’s still a good pour and always enjoyable. You know what you’re getting and you won’t feel bad using up the bottle.