Since its introduction in the early 1940s, Wild Turkey 101 has carried an eight-year age statement. Many presume the age statement was dropped entirely in the early 1990s. It was dropped, but only for the United States. Eight-year Wild Turkey 101 lived on in the export market, especially Japan, and continues to do so to this day.
This is the part where I should probably calm the crowd. Yes, there are a few cool whiskeys exclusive to export and travel-retail markets. This isn’t unique to Wild Turkey. Many spirits brands do the same. So, if you’re getting riled up and annoyed not finding age-stated Wild Turkey 101 (eight- or 12-Year), think about what we have in abundance in the U.S. – namely, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel and Kentucky Spirit private selections (among others). Each of these expressions are aged a minimum of eight years, sometimes notably longer. In the case of Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel, it’s non-chill filtered and closer to barrel strength than Wild Turkey 101/8.
All that said, do I wish we had aged-stated 101 domestically? Sure. At the very least, I’d love to see 101/8 and 101/12 at the distillery gift shop. I’m sure they’d sell out quickly, but then, if priced for demand they might stick around a little longer. After all, the price of Evan Williams Red Label is considerably higher in the U.S. when compared to the Japanese retail price. Heaven Hill doesn’t seem to have a problem selling the 12-year Evan Williams at their gift shop for a premium. Maybe Wild Turkey should follow suit?
Some of you are probably familiar with my Wild Turkey 101 12-Year review. If available domestically for a premium, I’d recommend 101/12 in a heartbeat. It’s that good. But what about the eight-year expression? Is it worth a premium like its 12-year cousin? That’s precisely what I’ll address in today’s review.
Before I dive in I should mention this is a 2022 bottling (July 8th, to be exact). Being a batched product, and possibly on a smaller scale than everyday Wild Turkey 101, profile variance is likely. From my experience, variation from month to month is subtle (if detectable at all), but from year to year it’s more noticeable. If you have or acquire a 101/8 export from a another year, your notes may not align with mine. And then there’s the whole subjectivity of interpreting a whiskey’s flavor. One can only draw so much from an individual’s impression. I’ll do my best to be as objective as possible, but nothing beats trying things out for yourself.
With that, let’s pour!
Wild Turkey 101 – Aged 8 Years
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Proof: 101
Age: eight years
Misc.: Distilled and bottled in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, USA (box states “distilled & bottled at Wild Turkey, Lawrenceburg, KY, USA”).
Tasted neat in a Glencairn after a few minutes rest …
Color: amber
Nose: butter toffee, glazed apples, honey-roasted nuts, orange peel, charred oak, baking spice
Taste: vanilla, caramel drizzle, cream soda, sweet oak, faint lemon zest & maraschino cherry
Finish: long w/ toasted caramel, brown sugar, savory citrus, butterscotch, hints of cola & white pepper
Impression: While not as noteworthy as the 12-year export, this is damn good bourbon. There’s nary a hint of youthfulness, which only affirms that age statements mean something. It may not have the rich oak, medicinal cherry, and sweet leather of 101/12, but 101/8’s toffee, caramel, and savory citrus are more than enough to leave you thirsty for more. Frankly, for a straight retail purchase (about 22 USD for a 700ml bottle), it’s hard to beat.
At this point I’d wager you’re wondering how today’s eight-year Wild Turkey 101 compares to non-age-stated 101. I’ve ventured this comparison multiple times on various occasions. I’ll say that my affection for the eight-year expression has only grown. It’s not that domestic 101 isn’t worthy of a purchase. It very much is, and tastes fantastic for the affordable price and effortless availability, but the eight-year 101 is more complex and unquestionably refined. Both carry the signature Wild Turkey boldness, the age-stated version just has it with well-executed Kentucky grace.
Which brings me to the question posed earlier in this review: Is Wild Turkey 101/8 worth a premium? Yes, but only to a degree. In my tastings I’ve found that Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit frequently outperforms the eight-year Wild Turkey 101. One could always chalk that up to exemplary single barrels competing with a batched product. Possibly, though I’ve gone through a great deal of Kentucky Spirits. If we establish domestic 101 as the floor and Kentucky Spirit as the ceiling, a $50 purchase for a 700ml bottle of 101/8 should be completely reasonable. Hell, I might even pay $60 considering the classy presentation and guarantee of a Turkey that spent no less than eight years in oak.
At the end of the day, it’s your money. If a bottle of eight-year Wild Turkey 101 is worth $100 to you, go for it. As for me, Kentucky Spirit scratches that itch at $75 just fine (with the added bonus of sometimes finding an incredible private barrel selection). I do feel that Campari should find a way to sell the eight- and 12-year 101 in the gift shop from time to time. Last I checked, distillery-only bottlings not intended for interstate commerce don’t require TTB COLA approval. Taking that into consideration, this could happen as soon as tomorrow.
So, how about it, Campari? Want to make your biggest fans happy? Get some age-stated Wild Turkey 101 stocked at the visitors center and watch the lines (and smiles) form.
Cheers!
dj
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You forgot to include your rating.
I’m no longer doing numerical ratings. With Pride of Anderson County, wouldn’t be right.
But the numerical ratings still help many ( maybe not all ) wild turkey friends or those who are new to wild turkey a lot. For example, I’ve read all your rare breed reviews and learned that the 2015 with 112.x proof is really problematic or even bad with a 2.5/5 marks comparing to other rare breed from different years. Although readers can still read the wordings bad, disappointing, crying for your wallet phase for the 2015 112.x proof review so they probably know that is a not so good bottle comparing to other rare breed but number really show a much more clear reference comparing to pure wordings and I don’t think a reasonable bourbon lovers will just judge your review purely by the marks only. So the advantage of taking the mark away is much smaller than showing that for a reference in my opinion and I hope you can reconsider giving a simple 5/5 marks as the total is just 5 instead of 100 and it’s pretty much a vague rating system already which will not draw too much argument or too difficult for you to give the mark.
A lot of online reviews on internet and youtube give huge credit and recommendation for that 112.x proof rare breed and you are the only one who point out that version maybe a bad purchase with the not so harsh wordings and the 2.5/5 ratings( really useful if the readers read your review of other rare breed too) so it really give an objective and useful indicator to other wild turkey lovers who are going to purchase rare breed from different years and help them to pick the better ones instead of reading all the reviews without a mark and go out blind hunting as it’s safe and fair to say you have more turkey exp than the average turkey lovers so review with a mark do help.
By reading your review together with your mark, those who really love wild turkey/other bourbon can do the tasting and compare to your review notes for each bottle and their own easier thus know the taste difference between you and each individual readers and be able to brush up their tasting skill faster. It’s not easy to do so without the mark but just tasting notes which reader may not be able to find a solid and objective reference point sometimes so please reconsider to let us know what you think of a wild turkey bottle with a x/5 scale after your detail tasting notes. Many thanks and looking forward for more reviews and sharing from you in the future!
First, I truly appreciate your detailed and thoughtful reply. I see your point and understand that numerical scores help many folks. That being said, I have a hard time reconciling the fact that I’m rating/ranking a Wild Turkey expression when I have my own independent bottling about to drop. It just feels like a conflict to rate one Turkey over another with that in perspective.
I can promise you that my reviews will stay honest. It will require individuals to read the full post to understand where I’m coming from, but I’m okay with that. Will it make the site less useful on the fly? Possibly, though I’m hoping that the true Turkey fans stick around for the content and not just a quick skip to a rating.
Thanks so much for commenting. Your points are noted and I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
All the best,
dj
Something I have always wondered… what is the primary purpose of these types of export and travel-retail only releases? Would a non-age-stated WT101 not sell well in the overseas markets where WT101/8yr is sold? And if not, why not? For something like you have described (WT101/8yr selling for $22), it doesn’t seem like there is always a price premium attached to the product (WT 101/8yr) over what we get in the domestic market (WT101 NAS selling for ~$20) — so what drives the different offerings? Doesn’t the need to produce separate WT101/8yr and WT101/12yr batches for export markets add needless complexity to the production and packaging process? Clearly I am missing something, because this happens for a reason (probably numerous reasons)… but would love to hear more what those are!
When bourbon was all but dead in the 1980s, the Japanese market helped to turn things around. For Wild Turkey, they’ve essentially kept the same expressions – 101/8 and 101/12 (with a 13-year version taking the 12-year expression’s place briefly). Why take those away from them when it sells well as is? That’s the way I look at it.
Fair, I suppose. But then how does that sentiment (“Why take those away from them when it sells well as is?”) square with the removal of age statements on some domestic bourbons in the last decade? I’ve always gathered that age statements were removed on some bourbons in order to sell more / meet rising demand — so I guess my question is, is there a notable difference in the tastes of consumers in these export markets (like Japan), where a NAS bourbon would actually sell worse than the 101/8? Is the age statement a more important factor there? Genuinely curious, and maybe it is as simple as you’re suggesting.
Yes. Traditionally, Japan has been known for their appreciation of age statements.
I picked up a bottle of this in UK which was significantly cheaper that Kentucky Spirt sells for locally, it is a really good pour.
Does it reach the levels of the 12 year, no that is exceptional.
Agree!
Well I ain’t that long winded but if regular old Wild Turkey 101 ain’t good enough for you then you just ain’t drinking enough of it! Shady
For the money, can’t be beat.
I just don’t understand why they do this? Why not sell in the US? Heck I live 15 minutes away from the distillery I’d go there to get it! I’ve also heard their Rare Breed Nonchilled Filter is better than our Rare Breed and it’s only available overseas as well. I just don’t get it…
You’d have to go back 30+ years ago. A lot of history is in play. When bourbon sales were grim in the US, the export market kept some distilleries in the black. Hell, one could argue it kept them in business. Exports were age-stated then, so they’re age-stated now. The Rare Breed NCF is a travel exclusive, similar to what Beam, Maker’s, Heaven Hill, etc. do (as well as virtually any major Scotch brand). It’s honestly not that different from domestic Rare Breed. The good news is, we have much cooler stuff here in the US, despite a small handful of exports. Cheers!
I am very much looking forward to the domestic NCF RB, it has to be coming, there is no earthly reason to go to the bother of CF when no one in the domestic market wants it and in fact seeks out NCF releases as preferable to CF versions.
Regarding Japan and as a whiskey drinker going on 40yrs and a WT fan for that entire time, I assure you we turkey fans are just as attached to our age statements as our friends abroad, we had it, they took it away, we are still no happier about that than when it happened.
It is this turkey fans wish that one day production catches up to demand to the point that our age statement is restored, std 101 is certainly a gem but the age statements need to return, and yes we are keeping KS and RR too LOL!!
Hi Kevin. Thanks for commenting.
The only reason for Rare Breed to go NCF was to give travel-retail something special. I’m confident that when that deal ends, we’ll see NCF Rare Breed in the States (fingers crossed). And for what it’s worth, Rare Breed Rye is NCF.
It’s not that U.S. Turkey fans (or bourbon fans) didn’t appreciate age statements then, it’s the general public’s lack of appreciation that mattered more. The general public here didn’t care back in the glut era – for bourbon or its age statements. The general public overseas, however, did. For large brands like Wild Turkey, that’s who buys the bulk of the product – the general consumers, not the whiskey enthusiasts.
Turkey has age-stated products here: Russell’s Reserve 6, 10, and 13, as well as private selections and limited editions. Many foreign markets don’t see those expressions. But regardless of an age statement or lack of one, 101 remains a solid buy (thank goodness).
Hi. I recently procured a bottle of this. At least, I thought it was this. A friend was traveling through Heathrow and I used the Select & Collect offer on World Duty Free products. However, the bottle doesn’t mention 8 years anywhere on the label. Have they stopped printing that? Or, did they pass the regular bottle off as the 8yr old?
The 8-year 101 is still available in certain export markets, primarily Japan and Korea.
Thanks for all the useful back info and history into this bottle.
I just picked up a litre bottle at COSTCO Korea for 49 USD.
Tasting my first dram now… 🙂
And thank you for reading!