A few years ago, my wife made a suggestion that, at least at the time, seemed impossible – write a book about Wild Turkey. I was no writer. Surely no author. I mean, I smelled whiskey, tasted whiskey, and put my thoughts down on paper (or keyboard). I’ll concede I couldn’t escape the blogger title. I did have a blog. But the thought of sitting down and hammering out tens of thousands of words … becoming an author … far too daunting for this guy.

It’s funny. The older I get the more I accept the push and pull of life. When you’re younger, you have a tendency to fight – to rebel and reject advice or counsel. After all, you know everything. But as you age, you grow tired of licking the wounds of inexperience, bad decisions, and missed opportunities. This is precisely why I find Bob Seger’s song, “Against the Wind,” a masterpiece. Sure, there’s the spot-on arrangement and production. And let’s not forget the late Glen Frey’s timeless outro vocals. But it’s the percipient lyrics in play with a well-paced build, growing ever so slowly (much like life itself), that leads us to a repetitive, somewhat reconciliatory fading conclusion.

So, I listened to my wife and Bob Seger. I accepted the challenge and headed out into uncharted territory. A year later, I had my first draft. I launched a Kickstarter, which many of you graciously funded. I hired the best photographer in the industry, Victor Sizemore. I enlisted the help of Brett Atlas, who taught me that “copy editor” essentially means “bringer of pain.” I bounced ideas off the best in the spirits business, folks like Fred Minnick and Aaron Goldfarb, and in time, through the help of many – friends, family, Patreon supporters, Campari, and the patient staff at Mascot books – I had a book. A real book. I was an author.

Today is a special day. I can now share with the world my labor of love, American Spirit: Wild Turkey Bourbon from Ripy to Russell. It took some years, some tears, and a lot of Wild Turkey 101 to get here, but the day has finally arrived. And while copies aren’t yet ready to ship out just yet, the presale page is officially live and ready to go.

And with that … If you’d like to purchase a copy of American Spirit, please visit WildTurkeyBook.com. And if you’re a little unsure, that’s okay. You might just find these reviews and thoughts on my book helpful.

Please note that the formal release of American Spirit won’t take place until this Fall (thanks to COVID-19); however, any books purchased via presale will be mailed directly from my publisher, Mascot Books, as soon as possible. ETA will be determined by the time necessary to complete printing, though please bear in mind the present state of things. There can be no guarantees on delivery dates, and (as we’ve all seen) anything can happen.

Finally, e-books are currently in development. As soon as those formats are completed (likely over the next two or three weeks), e-books will be available for purchase and download via Amazon, Apple, and other popular platforms. Please stay tuned!

*** UPDATE *** e-books are now available.

Thank you all so very much for your support and interest. I sincerely hope that you love American Spirit and I look forward to your feedback in the weeks and months ahead.

Cheers and all the best!

David J.