Wild Turkey Kentucky Straight Bourbon

So, the spouse was meant to get WT101 but mistakenly picked up the 81 proof version instead. Oops! But hey, it's a chance for a review, right? The aroma is... not great. A peculiar earthiness, with a very faint trace of vanilla and cinnamon. There's also a bit of nail polish remover, orange peel, and mineral water, which is confusing but it's present. The taste is better than the nose suggests. That said, it's just so... dull. Sweet corn, mild vanilla, and cinnamon. And that's literally all there is. No mid-palate at all. The flavors are so blended together that I could accurately say 'tastes like whiskey' and be correct. That's not a compliment. Things don't improve in the finish; it's short with more cinnamon, a hint of oak, and art class paste. A black pepper note lingers. The mouthfeel is actually not bad; light-bodied and airy, but also a bit creamy, and it's by far the best aspect of this whiskey. Wow, I expected this to be just watered-down 101, but it's a completely different (and much, much worse) bourbon. Who is this for? Why wouldn't you just drink 101? At $19.99, it's still a total failure. Damn it, woman! Check the label next time, okay?

Continuing the reviews of free swill - Wild Turkey! There must be some bourbon under $20 that's actually good. The search goes on for one.... Vanilla, caramel, and spicy rye are mixed with corn and some quite tannic oak on the nose. The palate starts slightly sweet before bursting full force with spice. Despite the low proof, the astringency of this bourbon stings your tongue. Burnt sugar with vanilla provides a very gentle sweet undertone, and as the taste moves to the finish, there's a strange, musty candy corn quality. Surprisingly, the mouthfeel is oily and rich. I'm not sure how they achieved that with such a low proof, but it's a positive aspect of this bourbon. The finish is quite brief, though. It becomes very rye-spicy and leaves your tongue feeling tingly from the middle outward. For a budget bourbon, it's really not bad, but I think Maker's Mark remains my favorite in this category.

A woody nose with some burnt hints, but quite gentle compared to similar entry-level bourbons. Pear and peach in syrup, fairly fresh caramel, honeyed corn, a touch of red wine, rye, and spiced mint. On the palate, very gentle corn, a commercial fruit salad with cherry, vanilla wood, not at all full-bodied, low alcohol presence, and gentle honey and spices. A rather unremarkable finish where only wood and dry alcohol are noticeable. The texture is a bit watery, gaining some body later but not significantly. A good bourbon for beginners; otherwise, it will end up in cocktails or as a sauce for my smoked ribs.

Let's get this straight... How can the score for this be 2 points higher than WT 101?!?!? I had dinner at a British Pub tonight and asked for their whiskey selection. To my surprise, they didn't have much. This was the only bourbon they offered, so I thought, why not... This isn't a Rare Breed or 101. Those are amazing. But this isn't bad... not bad at all. For a cheap drink, it was a pleasant surprise. I used to think Wild Turkey was only for alcoholics. LOL. But considering the price, this is a decent spirit. It has just enough "sweetness" and "smokiness" to satisfy. Will I buy a bottle? No! Will I drink it again? Yes!

Tasted blind. Color - very light yellow Nose - rye spice is overwhelming, mint, young green scents Taste - surprisingly not as much rye spice as the smell indicated. It's somewhat watery with caramel, vanilla, and popcorn. A little spice at the end, but there's a significant flavor gap between the initial sweetness and the final spice.

A very pleasant, mild bourbon. An ideal introductory bourbon. Enjoyed neat, it has mildly spicy, peach, orange, and vanilla flavors. Adding water or ice diminished all the flavors. It has a rich, pleasing mouthfeel. Remarkable for such a low proof. You should keep this one on hand, especially considering its price. It's one of the best lower to mid-range bourbons available. Enjoy!