As you can tell from the bottle fill level left at the time of review, this was a staple pour of mine for quite some time before sitting down for a formal review.
Company on Label: Wild Turkey
Whiskey Type: Bourbon
Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley
Proof: 110°
Age: 8 years
Further identification: Rapid Liquors store pick Barrel 20-0164. Distilled 09/19/11, dumped 03/31/20, bottled 05/21/20 from Warehouse E, Floor 4.
Nose: One of my favorite caramel specific note noses to date. Touched with pepper and funky oak. Oily goodness provides a rich, thick base. Cherry sits into a leather couch, not getting up for anyone. Sweet bakery confection, but also heavy like brown sugar sticky buns. Vanilla glaze definitely helps sell this experience. Explosive in the scents that jump out of the glass without any ethanol punch. Noses more like a 12 year old barrel at closer to 10 years aged in actuality. Such creamy goodness, noses up there with some really heavy hitters. Vanilla turning lighter than the beginning glaze texture now, making way for a hint of bright florals. Lemongrass citrus note is also an unbelievable addition late; where did this complexity come from? A linen note I've only specifically experienced in George T Stagg before. Yuuuum. Ugh. I have maybe two pours left of this and the nose is just exceptional. It smells like everything a bourbon should be, and what made me fall for this brand of spirit in the first place.
Palate: Much of the same expressiveness on the palate; cherry and a lovely menthol lead the way. Way more herbal here on palate without the creamy caramel and brown sugar holding down the lighter notes. There is still a sweet & spicy brown sugar on the tip of the tongue but its effect is reduced on the overall blend of flavor. Perfect mouth feel, not too drying. The nose rising experience of a good sip and chew is lovely. No sting but linen & molasses rise strongly. Later in the pour things definitely transition to that sweet citrus side of things. Enjoyable oakiness where I would normally prefer other flavors works very well here. This one is definitely staying on my shelf as long as I can keep it there. May be one of the best Russell's picks out of MA. I am truly sad this is the only bottle that I have.
Rating: 5/5
