“The place does discontent begin? You’re heat sufficient, however you shiver. You’re fed, but starvation gnaws you. You’ve got been liked, however your craving wanders in new fields. And to prod all these there’s time, the Bastard Time.” – John Steinbeck
Wild Turkey has given whiskey fans one unimaginable expression after one other for longer than I’ve been alive. Even limiting our scope to the previous three a long time, we’ve been blessed with the debut of Eddie Russell’s love letter to livers all over the place: Russell’s Reserve, which in 2001 started its life as a ten yr age acknowledged 101 proof expression. Previous to that, in 1994, we have been launched to Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit, a 101 proof non-age acknowledged providing in single barrel kind which is claimed to be within the 8 yr vary.
We’ve additionally extra just lately seen the emergence of Wild Turkey Grasp’s Preserve One, which hit the traditional 101 proof mark and featured a mix of bourbons as much as 14 years previous with an extra toasted barrel end. Again and again Wild Turkey has delivered critically acclaimed releases that carry the traditional “1 over 100” proof level, and at every level followers of the model have acquired them with open arms… but additionally quiet criticism. To cite Don Draper, “What’s happiness, however a second earlier than you want extra happiness?”
The seed of this discontent can partially be traced again to 1992, when Wild Turkey dropped the 8 yr age assertion on home Wild Turkey 101. Had been there raucous demonstrations, riots within the streets, and rabbles roused from coast to coast? I don’t know, as a result of I used to be someplace watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the time. I do, nonetheless, know that followers of the model have been displeased.
Any change to a beloved bottle of whiskey – whether or not it’s an alteration in label design, or a extra vital shift just like the lack of an age assertion – tends to be met with derision. To that finish, it’s doubtless that each whiskey model in the marketplace has heard their justifiable share of gripes from of us who need one easy edict to rule the day: don’t change a rattling factor.
That’s the rub although, proper? The one fixed in life is change, and so by means of barrel entry proof tinkering, revamped bottle designs, and the fluctuating look of age statements, the essence of what Wild Turkey as soon as was has inevitably reworked into what Wild Turkey now’s and sooner or later can be.
Decry all of it you need, however the reality stays that the Russells know what they’re doing, manufacturing strategies have solely develop into extra superior and environment friendly over time, and the quantity of top quality Wild Turkey choices has by no means been extra in depth. What’s presently unfamiliar and even unwelcome within the shopper thoughts will in time be thought-about a part of the “good previous days.”
Ask Wild Turkey historian David Jennings who in his upcoming ebook, Wild Turkey Musings: A Whiskey Author’s Retrospective claims:
“People, we’re with out query residing in a New Golden Age of Wild Turkey. Fans exploring the model now have extra selection to select from than any technology earlier than it. There’s really one thing for everybody. As for you old-school fans caught on dusty expressions, take a couple of minutes and put the “forward-facing turkey” bottle again within the cupboard. Drive to your native and pick-up a Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel non-public choice. Take an opportunity on A long time or the 17-year Grasp’s Preserve (if yow will discover them). Hell, seize a brand new bottle of Wild Turkey 101 or 101 Rye and pop the cork with an open thoughts. Sure, dusty Turkey is phenomenal, but it surely’s a dying breed. Give at this time’s Wild Turkey a good probability and I’m assured that all the things I’m saying will make excellent sense in reasonably brief time.”
That brings me to my consideration of this up to date expression, the 2022 Wild Turkey Distller’s Reserve 12 Yr 101 proof export launch. What makes this launch notable (for these a fan of the model’s historical past) is that it marks the return of a 12 yr age assertion on a 101 proof bottle of Wild Turkey, a set of specs that hasn’t been seen within the world market since 2013.
Moreover, a number of the most sought-after Wild Turkey releases of all time occurred to hold those self same specs comparable to “Tacky Gold Foil” and “Past Duplication,” bottles that collectors proceed to fervently chase. Due to this, there’s been quite a lot of pleasure across the expression I’ll be reviewing at this time.
Regardless of that pleasure, there’s additionally been a spherical quantity of discontent stateside about the truth that – because it was between 1999 and 2013 – 12 yr 101 proof Wild Turkey is just out there abroad. Sure, we’re spoiled with some wonderful Wild Turkey bourbon within the U.S. on the 101 proof level, as there’s no actual scarcity of normal 101 or Kentucky Spirit single barrels on retailer cabinets, however at this stage within the bourbon growth there’s additionally no scarcity of fans who yearn for age acknowledged merchandise. The wildly common Russell’s 13 is actually an instance of that. So with that in thoughts I’ll be contemplating the next query: is 12 yr previous 101 actually that distinctive in comparison with its barely youthful brothers Wild Turkey 101 and Kentucky Spirit? Let’s discover out!
The specs on 2022’s Wild Turkey 12 Yr 101 are as follows: the mash invoice is 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley, it carries a 12 yr age assertion, the proof is 101 (50.5% ABV), and it’s priced anyplace between $60 in Japan (as reported by David Jennings) or as excessive as $250+ by way of on-line retailers. I used to be capable of procure the bottle I’ve in hand at $200 in Kentucky, nonetheless I can be utilizing the $60 worldwide price as my baseline for Malt’s price-sensitive scoring.
Wild Turkey 12 Yr Distiller’s Reserve 101 Export Launch (2022) – Evaluate
Shade: Medium honey.
On the nostril: Cooked cherry proper off the bat resplendent with contemporary pie crust, clove, brown sugar, only a cornucopia of superbly developed candy notes. Over time there’s a lemon custard be aware that develops together with a contact of leather-based and faint cinnamon. I even sense some rye spice, rosemary, and nutmeg. Moreover I get a be aware that jogs my memory a little bit of freshly made lentil samosas (suppose garam masala and a contact of turmeric with coriander scorching in oil) buried slightly below the aroma of oak.
Within the mouth: Once more the cherries simply leap proper out at you and steal the present. In comparison with the MK17 BiB cherry be aware, which skewed a bit medicinal for my palate, this has extra of a candied cocktail cherry taste. On second go the caramel and oak are ensconcing that cherry be aware with only a kiss of darkish chocolate. Now, taking hearty third and fourth sips, I’m getting maple syrup and noticing simply how sturdy that is on the palate at 101 proof. It has a pleasant medium to lengthy end and there’s some vanilla frosting that joins the cherry and oak on the again finish that makes it a pleasure to take a seat with earlier than indulging in continued sips. The extra fascinating spices from the nostril are absent on the palate the place nutmeg and ginger current themselves most prominently, together with a contact of the aforementioned rosemary on the end.
Conclusions:
I completely liked this pour and I believe that whereas it might be a bit candy for some and nonetheless others could crave the extra proof and punch of Russell’s Reserve 13 yr, this expression delivers nuance in spades. Frankly it’s tough to establish something that will trigger me to take factors off from this expression, and my extra measured rating principally displays the truth that not each facet of the tasting expertise ascends to the lofty heights achieved by the nuance of the flavour. For example, the end is exceedingly pleasurable however not distinctive. The mouthfeel is strong however not fascinating, and although the candy flavors exist in concord with the oak, leather-based and spice, a bit extra spice would hit on the traditional Turkey profile that many fans have develop into accustomed to.
As you may see I’m splitting hairs, however that’s as a result of that is certainly a scrumptious expression that’s positively price in search of out at an inexpensive worth. At $200 on the home secondary market I believe it’s a tricky promote however, in evaluating the $60 retail price in Japan to the $100 price of Russell’s Reserve 13 and $55 for Kentucky Spirit, it’s an absolute steal. In reality it’s the most effective worth of the bunch, however sadly it’s additionally probably the most tough to seek out. With that in thoughts I’ll neither deduct some extent for availability nor add some extent for the pocket-friendly (in Japan) worth. Let your craving wander in new fields, ideally a world market that has this bottle out there on retailer cabinets. Maybe in time we’ll have the ability to simply entry one thing comparable right here within the U.S. of A.
Rating: 7/10
Inside label picture courtesy of David Jennings.
