Wild Turkey 70th Anniversary Review
“Wild Turkey 70th Anniversary 8-year Bourbon”
To be honest, I’m not a big Wild Turkey 101 fan. Many people have said that it is an essential bottle to have on any good bourbon bar. From a price point perspective, I understand, because it is pretty good for a price of around $28. But overall, it is too simple and uncomplex to me, it’s boring. For me, it’s only good as a mixer or to toss back for the sole purpose of getting a buzz, but not worth drinking neat for the tasting pleasure of the pour. Is that blasphemy?! So, having said that, I’m very interested in doing this Wild Turkey 70th Anniversary review. Is it better than the standard 101? Let’s see.
Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: 8 years
Proof: 101
Proof Designation: na
Non-Chill Filtered? No
Mash bill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Char Level: 4
Entry Proof: 114
Distillery: Wild Turkey Distilling Co.
Company: Campari Group
Bottled By: Wild Turkey Distilling Co.
Distilled/Aging Location: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Master Distiller: Jimmy Russell
Release Date: Fall 2024
Batch Size: Rumored to be about 100,000 bottles
MSRP: $50
Secondary Market: $130
Availability: Somewhat Available
Wild Turkey 70th Anniversary Review
My tasting reviews are unique in that I include the notes of several well-known whiskey critics. The hope is that this format will help me and others to explore and expand their tasting experience.
Legs
Beads begin to form on the crown at8 seconds, the first legs begin to fall at 28 seconds, and the first legs reach the bowl at about 34 seconds.
Nose
Caramel, light oak, baking spice, mild ethanol.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
The Bourbon Guy: Nutmeg, caramel, oak, and vanilla.
Bourbon Banter: Vanilla, oak, and honey with notes of cinnamon, brown sugar, tobacco, and orange peel.
Rare Bird 101: Vanilla, sweet oak, butter toffee, singed orange peel, warm baking spice.
Palate
Light caramel, mild cinnamon, light brown sugar, oak, mild barrel char, hint of cherry, not very complex.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
The Bourbon Guy: Caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and oak.
Bourbon Banter: Sweet cream, vanilla, butterscotch, stone fruit (dates), pecans, and black tea.
Rare Bird 101: Caramel, baked brown sugar, nutmeg, honey-maple, hints of cocktail cherry.
Finish
It has a medium finish with caramel, sweet oak, some cherry and mild vanilla.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
The Bourbon Guy: Medium in length and warmth. Rich notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and oak.
Bourbon Banter: Warming with notes of caramel, dark cherry with a long lingering finish of oak, burnt sugar, and bitter chocolate.
Rare Bird 101: Long w/ peppery vanilla, cream soda, charred oak, savory citrus, faint leather.
Mouthfeel
The mouthfeel is silken and pleasant, but not creamy or rich.
Mouthfeel Rating Guide: Thin = Watery | Silken = smooth & slippery, but not mouth coating | Creamy = coats the tongue like heavy cream does. | Rich or Unctuous = coats the entire palate like quality olive oil
The Burn
3 out of 5. This means that the burn from the alcohol is about what I would expect it to be for 101 proof.
Tasting Summary
Wild Turkey 70th Anniversary bourbon is a pleasant, easy to sip daily drinker with caramel and brown sugar sweetness balanced with mild barrel char, cinnamon and vanilla. There’s nothing “Wow!” or very complex about it. But, from what I’ve read, that is exactly what Jimmy Russel has always preferred… something enjoyable, easy to drink, and affordable.
Tasting the 70th Anniversary next to the regular 101 showcases that the Anniversary Release is definitely better, and a bit more refined in the sense of depth of flavor. But it’s not really any more complex or unique.
My Rating ~ 7.2/10
The higher the score the better the whiskey is in my opinion. For reference, my best rated bottle so far is the George T. Stagg 2022 (138.7p) with a score of 9.7.
Pass, Bar, Buy, or Bunker?
Rating: BAR- I’d try a sample of this before deciding to purchase. For the price, it’s a good bourbon and I’m not mad at it. But, it will probably sit on my shelf for a long time because there are many other pours that I’d rather sip.
Rating Scale:
PASS – I wish that I had never put this in my mouth!
BAR – I don’t love it or hate it…I suggest trying this in a bar before purchasing it.
BUY – I would buy it once…maybe more.
BUNKER – Love this! I want a back-up bottle…or 3.
My Tasting Notes
A blank version of this tasting notes wheel is available in both a color and a black & white version in the member’s area.
Notes and History
Re-written notes from the Wild Turkey website:
To honor Jimmy’s remarkable contribution to the bourbon industry, Wild Turkey has released the limited-edition Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell’s 70th Anniversary 8-Year-Old Bourbon.
This collector-worthy release is an 8-Year-Old bourbon bottled at 101 proof (Jimmy’s favorite proof), crafted from a careful blend of 8- to 9-year-old whiskeys, all hand-selected from some of Jimmy’s favorite Rickhouses.
From his early days at the distillery, where he started out by sweeping the floors at age 18, Jimmy worked his way up to become Master Distiller. Throughout his career, he has remained dedicated to crafting bourbon the right way, even when it wasn’t the popular choice. In the 1970s and 80s, when the bourbon industry was on the brink of collapse, Jimmy stood firm to that ideology.
While many consumers and industry people began to prefer lighter spirits, Jimmy refused to dilute his bourbon or alter the distilling process. He embraced the pre-prohibition style he learned from his mentor, Bill Hughes, and famously stated that he “didn’t change a damn thing.” This commitment helped restore the popularity of many of the distillery’s classic bourbons, including his favorite, Wild Turkey 101. Jimmy believed that bold Kentucky bourbon would always have a place on the bar, a legacy that continues to thrive today.
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