It’s been a few months since Frank’s last contribution to the blog. I’m sure glad to have him back in 2025. Enjoy! dj
They say those who can’t remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
Do you want to know one of the beautiful things about legacy distilleries like Wild Turkey? With such a rich past, whether we choose to remember it or not (and the legion of dusty Turkey fans out there certainly do choose to remember it), we are destined to repeat some of its outstanding achievements.
With 2021 marking the debut of Russell’s Reserve 13, savvy whiskey fans instantly thought of releases like Wild Turkey Distiller’s Reserve and Father & Son, two 13-year expressions with modest, if not remarkable, reputations among the Turkey faithful. Then 2024 welcomed the debut of Russell’s Reserve 15. At the 15-year mark, one might think back fondly to Wild Turkey American Spirit (purportedly Jimmy Russell’s all-time favorite) or Wild Turkey Tribute. Those 15-year expressions of the past hold an esteemed place in the Wild Turkey pantheon, and Russell’s 15 quickly joined them.
However, the release of the 13- and 15-year Russell’s Reserve expressions made me think of an age statement that the brand skipped over, one with a heralded place in Wild Turkey’s vast history of incredible bourbons – whiskey at the 14-year mark. David and I have both explored Wild Turkey Master Distiller Selection (2006 Export), which is commonly hailed as one of the greatest Wild Turkey expressions ever. That bottle just so happens to sport a 14-year age statement. Yet, there is another bottle that carries a 14-year age statement, and it might just be the most underrated limited-edition release in the brand’s history: 2009’s Wild Turkey Tradition.
In a glowing review David penned in 2018, he called it “an excellent, top-quality Wild Turkey expression.” Still, he stopped short of awarding it a 5/5, proclaiming that 2017’s Master’s Keep Decades was an equally heavy-hitting bourbon that could be more easily – and affordably – found at retailers at the time.
Now, seven years removed from that review (time flies when you’re talking Turkey!) and with the recent uptick in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky releases in the 13-15-year age range, I felt it was high time to revisit Wild Turkey Tradition to see how well it holds up against its contemporary competition.
Initially released at $100, this bourbon is now being sold on the secondary market at an average of 10x its original suggested retail price. Remember what I said above about dusty Turkey fans and their affinity for the past?
To dispense with the final relevant details, this well-aged bourbon is bottled at Wild Turkey’s iconic 101-proof point and housed in one of the most beautiful packages in the brand’s illustrious history. A double-button system releases the top half of its hefty wooden box to display the ornate bottle, which sports a brass base and topper. The box also has space for an accompanying card citing Jimmy Russell:
“My son Eddie, Wild Turkey Associate Distiller, and I set this bourbon down in 1995, and at 14 years old and 101 proof, we believe that it […] is ‘particularly flavorful’ and worthy of sharing with special friends. I hope you enjoy this Wild Turkey Bourbon as much as we enjoyed making it and that you’ll make Wild Turkey a part of your traditions.”
It’s a nice sentiment in a stunning package, but today we have two concerns. First, plain and simple, how does it taste? Second, how does this bottle compare to the two recent Russell’s Reserve releases that bookend its age statement? Let’s find out!
Wild Turkey Tradition, Master Distiller Selection (2009) – 101-proof KSBW – aged 14 years – distilled by the Austin, Nichols Distilling Co., Lawrenceburg, KY (30,000 bottles total)
Tasted neat in a Glencairn after a few minutes rest …
Color: Dark, rosy copper.
Nose: Darkly sweet, toffee, vanilla pods, black cherry syrup, tobacco leaf with a touch of cinnamon, dense mature oak tones, hazelnut frosting, sage, orange buttercream, walnut shells, fresh newspaper, and clove.
Taste: The mouthfeel is rich, enveloping the tongue in flavors like black cherry syrup, cedar, vanilla pods, toffee, walnut shells, nougat, polished leather, and orange buttercream.
Finish: The finish punctuates the richness with a viscous clinginess that coats the tongue in maple, vanilla, candied walnuts, black pepper, vino de naranja, and faint leather.
Overall: What’s most striking about this expression is its richness. The aroma of the bourbon quickly diffuses out of the ornate bottle and fills the air with some of those signature, mature Wild Turkey notes that fans should be familiar with. An unyielding backbone of spice and earthiness allows the vibrant fruit notes to flesh out its impressive, full-bodied array of aromas. In a stunning turn, the palate actually outperforms that full-throttle nosing experience with whiskey that comes across as a higher-proofed offering, not because of its sharp edges but rather because of its heft, complexity, and finesse.
When I had a chance to taste this bottle next to Russell’s Reserve 13 (LL/JD) and Russell’s 15, I found that it bested the former in textural depth and matched the latter in complexity and layers of flavor. Is Tradition a better whiskey than the two contemporary offerings? That’s a bit tougher to answer. Tradition has more balance than both Russell’s releases, with the 15-year showing much more mature oak notes and the 13-year failing to coalesce as cleanly in terms of flavor and mouthfeel. That said, I think it exceeds 2021’s Russell’s 13 while offering more of an “other side of the coin” feel to Russell’s 15.
For a full-throated, unapologetic, hyper-aged bourbon, Russell’s 15 has few rivals — both in today’s age and throughout the annals of history. That said, by prioritizing finesse over force, Wild Turkey Tradition is more approachable than Russell’s 15 and more artfully balances its many layers of flavor.
My next plan of action is to try this expression next to Master’s Keep Decades, an expression that David formerly advised seeking out (price considering) over this release. What I learned in revisiting Tradition is that, indeed, the Russell family remembers their past. Rather than producing redundancies and putting out bourbons that are hardly discernible from one another, each of the brand’s 13+ year expressions tastes worlds apart, all while maintaining Wild Turkey’s hallmark excellence in quality.
It’s only that penchant for releasing world-class whiskey that the Russell family seems destined to repeat. Students of history, above all others, should raise a glass to that.
Rating: 5/5 🦃
fd
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