On January 27, 2017, Redditor u/Kumori published a comprehensive Guide to Wild Turkey Date Codes. It has become an invaluable tool for me and many other whiskey enthusiasts. With the permission of the author, I’ve posted a brief summary of Wild Turkey date codes below. For the most up-to-date information, I highly recommend referencing the original Reddit post, as it is amended and updated on occasion.
Summary Guidelines
ERA = approximate dates of bottle release
FORMAT = code sequence
TRANSLATION = how to interpret the code sequence
EXAMPLE = sample of the interpretation
LOCATION = location of the code on the bottle
ERA: c. 1992
FORMAT: L1####
TRANSLATION: L1YDDD
EXAMPLE: L12358 = December 23, 1992
LOCATION: Printed on back label or foil enclosure
ERA: c. 1992-1998
FORMAT: L-1#-###
TRANSLATION: L-1Y-DDD
EXAMPLE: L-15-220 = August 8, 1995
LOCATION: Printed on back label or foil enclosure
ERA: c. 1992-1999
FORMAT: ##/##/##
TRANSLATION: MM/DD/YY
EXAMPLE: 03/23/1994 = March 23, 1994
LOCATION: Printed on back label or foil enclosure
ERA: c. 1999-2006
FORMAT: L#######
TRANSLATION: L???Y???
EXAMPLE: L0611054 = 2001
LOCATION: Printed on back label or foil enclosure
ERA: c. 2006
FORMAT: L####NZ#A
TRANSLATION: LYDDDN???
EXAMPLE: L6229NU7A = August 17, 2006
LOCATION: Laser coded below back label near base
ERA: c. 2007-2014
FORMAT: L####FZ ####
TRANSLATION: LYDDDF?TTTT
EXAMPLE: L9132FH 1253 = 12:53 PM on May 12, 2009
LOCATION: Laser coded below back label near base
ERA: c. 2013-2021
FORMAT: LL/ZZ######
TRANSLATION: LL/YMDDTTTT
EXAMPLE: LL/DF021000 = 10:00 AM on June 2, 2015
LOCATION: Laser coded below back label near base
ERA: c. 2022
FORMAT: LL/ZZ######; second line DD/MM/YYYY
TRANSLATION: LL/YMDDTTTT
EXAMPLE: LL/DF021000 = 10:00 AM on June 2, 2015
LOCATION: Laser coded below back label near base
A special note regarding Wild Turkey bottles released prior to 1992:
Bottles of this era should have a two-digit date stamp embossed on the underside of the bottle glass. For example, a stamp of “87” would indicate a bottle manufactured (not necessarily filled) in 1987. For more information on dating early bottles (of any whiskey brand), please visit WhiskeyID.com.
Regarding Wild Turkey export bottles released in Japan (per Redditor u/Kumori):
Until 1987, whisk(e)y in Japan had codes with letters or kanji inside of a circle (designating the port of entry) followed by numerals. In addition, until mid-1989, whisk(e)y in Japan was marked with “ウイスキー特級.” After mid-1989, bottles were marked “ウイスキー.”