(한국어 시음기 밑에 있어요!)
Back in July last year, I was at a bar in the Konkuk university area of Seoul with my wife(Sadly that bar has now closed...It's a tough business out here). We had just finished doing flights of scotches and we wanted to round the night off with something different, but on the cheap side! We ended up getting a dram of Wild Turkey 81. Overall, it was okay. Nothing to write home about, but at the same time, easy to drink. It did leave me feeling quite curious about the 101 version though as friends later told me that it's similar, but superior. Half a year later, I found myself in possession of a vial of Wild Turkey 101 and after spending around two weeks alternating between Scotch and Japanese whisky reviews, I kinda feel like changing up the routine a bit and doing a bourbon review. it's been a while!
Before we get started though, it's time for a good old info-dump!
The Wild Turkey 101 is the flagship brand of the Wild Turkey distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, USA and has been sold in it's current form for over sixty years. It utilizes a high rye mashbill and is aged in charred(#4) virgin american white oak barrels for around six years before being blended, bottled and sold.
Despite being what one would call a mainstream bourbon, Wild Turkey 101 has racked up a substantial number of awards over the years and tends to be regarded as one of the "better" bourbons at its price point.
/infodump over.
Vitals:
ABV: 50.5%
Colour: Rich amber.
Chill-filtered: No.
Nose: A powerful blast of caramel and cream hit the senses. There's a touch of tanginess to the cream, almost like Japanese calpis soda, or Korean milkis soda. Predictably, it's very vanillic, but the oak notes on the nose are surprisingly subdued for a bourbon. It's there of course, but in no way is it dominating the aroma of this bourbon, which is refreshing! Behind the vanilla, there are hints of orange peel, milk chocolate, cinnamon, licorice, aniseed and quite surprisingly, fresh potatoes that have just been plucked from the ground. That note I did not expect! 22/25
Palate: Spicy and peppery on the initial mouthfeel, with a fair bit of barrel spice and wood tannins present. This quickly gives way to a rich and sweet medley of caramelised white chocolate, vanilla and creme brulee. 21/25
Finish: The sweetness of the palate continues into the finish as creamy caramel notes linger. There's a slight bitterness at the end, perhaps from the wood tannins, but again it's relatively subdued. All in all, it's quite a short finish, but enjoyable. 17/25
Value*: This is a pretty good bourbon and while the price is double of what you would pay in the US (God damn those insanely puritanical Korean alcohol taxes), it is still one of the better value bourbons here. 17/25
Conclusion:
I had stated before in my review of Old Forester that I'm not the biggest fan of bourbons due to my dislike for overly woody whisky. However from time to time, I do find one that defies my expectations and Wild Turkey 101 is one of those bourbons. Once you get over the initial mouthfeel, it becomes a very smooth and enjoyable sipping whisk(e)y with a perfect combination of sweet caramel goodness, a zesty spice and a relatively high proof. If you are looking for something that's easy going, full of flavour and at the relatively decent sub 50,000 won price point, then you can't go wrong with this sexagenarian old bird!
I think I might have to purchase myself a bottle now, damn it.
On a side note: Adding a few drops of water causes the nose to lose much of its complexity, while becoming much more floral and honeyed. One the palate, it becomes even smoother with most of the spicy notes being drowned out a rich and velvety chocolate milk
Basic Rating: 80%
Price Adjusted Rating*: 77%
Daily Drinker: Yes
Possible pairing: Pecans, hazelnuts or mixed nuts (Those caramel flavours would just pair so well with something nutty.)
Where to find in Korea: Namdaemun (남대문) , Wine & More, the Malt Shop (더 몰트샵), The Whisky Shop by the Barrel (더위스키샵바이배럴), Jura Shop(주라숍)(Cheapest!).
TLDR Version:
N: caramel, tangy cream, calpis/milkis, vanilla, orange peel, milk chocolate, cinnamon, licorice, aniseed, potatoes and a touch of oak.
P: black pepper, wood spice, wood tannins, caramelised white chocolate, vanilla and creme brulee. Rich and sweet.
F: sweet and short, with cream and caramel. Slightly bitter at the end, just before it fades.
V: <50,000 won. Not too bad of a price
C: A very sweet and likable bourbon that can be enjoyed neat.
와일드 터키 101 (한국어):
N: 캐러멜, 크림, 밀키스, 바닐라, 오렌지 껍질, 계피, 감초, 아니스 열매, 감자, 조금 오크 향.
P: 후추, 매운 나무 맛(우드 스파이스), 우드 탄닌, 카라멜 화이트 초콜릿, 바닐라, 크렘 브륄레. 풍부하고 달콤한 맛이예요.
F: 피니시가 짧고 달아요. 마지막에 조금 써요.
V: 오만원 미만.
C: 진짜 달아요. 물을 타지 않아도 좋은 버번 위스키예요!
Buy / Mooch / Pass: Buy
Review by Glasgowhisky
2020/02/17
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