I'm grateful to be trying a sample of this courtesy of @bourbondipity_ who poured me up 2oz so I could use it as a benchmark for a comparison to the Rare Character Oloroso bourbon we just picked. This will be a double header for me with the Rare Character tasting notes coming first on the Mass Bourbon Alliance page. Let's get into the review!
Company on Label: Wild Turkey
Whiskey Type: Finished Bourbon
Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Proof: 101°
Age: 12 years (blend of 12 to 15 year bourbons)
Further identification: This 2018 release whiskey utilizes 20 year old sherry casks from Jerez, Spain as the finishing barrels
Nose: Candied cherry and sweet tart lace my nostrils on first inhale. There's a floral note up front that comes across really unique. The nose is quite soft until you give the glass a gentle swirl which releases troves of nuts and oak. Delicate peanut brittle starts soft before walnut and an oily hazelnut come in with a little more heft. Sunflower seeds give off a dry characteristic akin to clay while cherry skins really try to break through the surface tension. Time for a sip.
Battleship hull metal presents softly after coming back from a drink. I find white lily and a boatload of old tobacco. A well oiled leather chair sits comfortable in a corner with a pipe smoker sitting upon its seat. Peach marmalade spread comes across dark & loaded with fig. A swirl of the glass rejuvenates it with bright birthday cake notes. White linens hang airy on a breezy Summer clothes line. Chocolate covered raisins hang in suspension before a backdrop of black pepper. The spice of the pepper can only be found when diving too deep with the tip of your nose which is otherwise masked by the persistent leather notes. The empty glass smells of pungent smoke, date nut bread, sherried mushrooms and faint wheat bread. What a rollercoaster that one was.
Palate: Oooh, the cooling sensation of that bright vanilla upfront is a real treat. The mouth feel is incredibly unique here for a bourbon mash bill. It lingers long with sweet fruit blending softly into leather, tobacco and soft oak. I don't get any of the old funk one might expect out of a release of this age bracket. Another sip and swish shows off tart, tannic fruit. Plum, apricot and pruned jujube dart forth on the palate. The linger is definitely laced with traditional Wild Turkey funky nutiness. There is a distinct red grape profile on bigger sips. I find this to be quite simple which makes the glass easy to enjoy but impossible to write in depth about. My last sip is a satisfying medley of ripe cherry, raisin, orange peel and Autumnal spices.
Rating: 4/5
This was quite satisfying throughout. The nose was a bit of a wild ride, but I feel like the blend that was targeted was a very approachable mix aiming to be a crowd pleaser on the palate. In doing so I think it may miss the mark by a little for the whiskey connoisseur to consider this one 'exceptional'. That said, it is incredibly crushable and one that I am going to thoroughly enjoy sharing with friends as it turns out I have an unopened bottle myself! Cheers.