Wild Turkey 101 is a classic American whiskey, its origins reaching back to the 1940s. But despite its healthy age, it remains a modern favorite. As is true at many bars around the U.S., it's a go-to bourbon at my neighborhood spot, where bartenders pour it neat into a lowball or mix it into an old fashioned when my palate and wallet are looking to meet in the middle.
But 101 is more than just a reliable order. It's one of the most consistently lauded affordable bourbons on the market (under $30 per bottle at my local liquor store). And, like Kentucky peers Woodford Reserve and Maker's Mark, the brand outmatches competitors twice its price.
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To learn more about the storied spirit, I traveled to Lawrenceburg, KY, to tour the Wild Turkey distillery and taste different Wild Turkey 101 vintages and styles. I gained a reinvigorated respect and admiration for a whiskey that's remained at a high level for decades—without sacrificing quality or affordability along the way.
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Courtesy of Wild Turkey
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
High quality whiskey for a great price | Not as complex as other bourbons at the same proof |
Ideal for mixing into cocktails | Some drinkers notice a funky aftertaste |
Storied history and stable recipe |
Wild Turkey 101 has been on the market since the 1940s, its recipe mostly unchanged. As a result, it has garnered many admirers, notably writer Hunter S. Thompson, who was often depicted in interviews with a glass of the stuff in front of him.
But you don't have to pen generation-defining books to enjoy Wild Turkey 101. One of the bourbon's strengths is its accessibility. You can find it at most liquor stores for $30 or less, and that one cheap bottle will go a long way to tasty sipping or crafting great cocktails.
Before you do any mixing, you should drink Wild Turkey 101 neat to understand its nuances. After pouring into a glass, swirl the liquid around and take in its oaky vanilla scent with a touch of ethanol heat toward the back end. If you add a drop of water, which is recommended by the Wild Turkey website, you release deeper aromas of orange and brown sugar. Upon first sip, those aromas materialize into similar flavors, eventually morphing into cinnamon and smoke—all of which makes it taste like pecan pie.
The whiskey has a longer-than-average finish. It starts out with notes of baking spice and orange peel before transitioning into what some folks call the Wild Turkey funk—an earthy spiciness that might not appeal to everyone, but dissipates when diluted with an ice cube or mixed into a cocktail.
Perhaps most impressive about Wild Turkey 101 is the family legacy behind it. Three generations of the Russell family have guided this bourbon, from master distiller Jimmy Russell to his son and master distiller Eddie—and now to Eddie's son and associate blender Bruce.
"It's a lifetime job. My dad was coming out here seven days a week when I was a kid," Eddie says. While that full-week schedule didn't last, Jimmy's dedication never wavered.
"A big reason why people love our brand is because of Jimmy, and the legacy, and our traditional methods," adds Bruce.
Over his 70 years with the brand, Jimmy has kept Wild Turkey 101 the reliable, affordable classic it is now and will continue to be—even when the next generation of Russells eventually take over.
If you're drinking Wild Turkey 101 Jimmy Russell's way, then you're sipping it neat—period. But even though Eddie is definitely his father's son—he told me he also prefers his bourbon neat—he embraces the popularity of cocktails. With the distillery under his helm, 101 isn't just meant for bourbon purists. It's a bottle that appeals to a wider audience.
Courtesy of Wild Turkey
As such, it's a fantastic mixer. Over the course of three days in Kentucky, I tasted Wild Turkey 101 in classics like the old fashioned or bourbon smash to half a dozen unique cocktails on the Wild Turkey Visitor Center bar menu. It shined in each one, thanks to Wild Turkey 101's proof. It's not easily diluted by mixers and added ingredients, so the bourbon plays well with others while maintaining its character.
That being said, there's no "right" way to enjoy Wild Turkey 101. Its versatility is its strong suit. Personally, I like to sip it with a small ice cube. Upon first sip, you're met with all those delicious neat notes. But, as the ice melts to awaken those water-aided aromas and flavors, it gradually softens into a smooth-drinking pour with an easy burn going down.
Wild Turkey has a long, slightly convoluted history that traces back to the mid-1800s, a melding of the stories of the Irish immigrant Ripy family and wholesale grocer Fitts, Martin & Clough. Over a few decades, the wholesaler added new partners and changed ownership until it became Austin, Nichols & Co. in the late 1870s. Meanwhile, the Ripy family built and acquired distilleries in Kentucky, establishing the Ripy Bros. Distillery in 1905.
In 1942, just under 10 years after Prohibition was repealed, Austin, Nichols & Co. began sourcing Ripy Bros. whiskey to sell in stores under its own label. Because a Ripy Bros. executive used to bring a bottle of bourbon on turkey hunting trips, friends nicknamed the liquor Wild Turkey. Thanks to those huntings trips and its now-signature 101 proof, Austin, Nichols & Co. began to sell Ripy Bros. whiskey as Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon.
Bourbon fanatics know that Wild Turkey wouldn't be what it is today without the Russell family. Jimmy Russell started at Wild Turkey in 1954, not making bourbon, but sweeping floors. By 1967, he was master distiller, eventually bringing Eddie on in 1981, who also worked his way up to master distiller by 2015. Bruce joined the family business in 2014 and is now associate blender.
At age 89, Jimmy still hangs around to oversee operations and greet fans at the visitor center while Eddie and Bruce carry on the distillery's legacy. Though they ensure that Wild Turkey 101 remains the same delicious whiskey it's always been, that doesn't stop them from experimenting with new whiskeys. Eddie added a new label, the award-winning lineup of Russell's Reserve bourbons, to the Wild Turkey family in the early 2000s, while Bruce has folded in his affinity for rye whiskey.
"I'm here at a great time in whiskey, 'cause we're able to put out cool, new, innovative products and our fans actually want it," says Bruce about newer releases like the Master's Keep Rye.
But Wild Turkey 101 remains the distillery's pride and joy. "101 will never change," Eddie says.
Courtesy of Wild Turkey
Bourbon begins as three separate ingredients: grain, water, and yeast. First, Wild Turkey selects specially-grown non-GMO corn, rye, and malted barley.
Then, the brand sources fresh water from the Kentucky River, as the distillery sits atop a limestone shelf that naturally filters out impurities. This water is used to cook the grains before workers introduce sour mash containing trace amounts of yeast to begin fermentation.
Here's where the fun begins. Wild Turkey then mixes in its proprietary yeast, which has been used since the 1950s to ensure the same reliable taste over decades. This yeast mash is then pumped into a continuous still, where it's vaporized at high temperatures, returned to liquid, and re-distilled.
The distilled spirit is then poured into new American white oak barrels that have been heavily charred inside. Wild Turkey chars at the highest level, No. 4, known as "alligator" char—the inside barrel is torched for 55 seconds. The process imparts those vanilla and cinnamon flavors that drinkers expect from bourbon. The liquid stays in barrels for between six to eight years until Eddie determines it's ready for bottling.
Wild Turkey barrels its bourbon at a low proof, so when it's time to bottle, the whiskey won't be diluted with too much water. The distillery does this to preserve ideal bourbon flavor and color—a deep, rich auburn.
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Made by Heaven Hill, Rittenhouse Rye is an economical choice for your home bar, as it's cheap and goes great in a number of cocktails, thanks to its sweet and spicy, full-bodied flavor. At 100 proof, it also carries a similarly pleasant burn to Wild Turkey 101.
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Named our best bourbon for an old fashioned, Old Grand Dad 114 features notes of orange zest and cinnamon, which balance out the added heat of its 57 percent ABV. Those flavors make it an ideal bourbon for mixing.
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The Russell's Reserve label is part of the Wild Turkey family. It's Eddie Russell's baby, introduced in the early 2000s in honor of his father's legacy. Russell's Reserve 15 Year is aged two years longer than Russell's Reserve 13—which won Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2023. That additional maturation piles more complexity onto an already delicious whiskey. At 117.2 proof with a candied cherry flavor and toffee finish, it's worth the price tag.
As senior editor for Men's Journal, I test dozens of whiskeys every month, comparing and contrasting their flavor profiles and evaluating their quality as I go. I've also worked with numerous spirits writers, bartenders, restauranteurs, and distillers, and I regularly engage in intense debates with likeminded (or not) brown liquor aficionados about what makes great whiskey.
For this Wild Turkey 101 review, I flew to Kentucky to visit the distillery, where I spoke with the folks behind the bottle. As I explored the distillery and studied the brand's craft, I tested the bourbon neat, on the rocks, and in a variety of cocktails to discern the depth of its flavor and the extent of its versatility.
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