Category - Liquor
I've Tried Thousands of Whiskeys. This Affordable Classic Is Better Than Bourbons Twice Its Price
I’ve spent almost two full decades writing about alcohol. In that time, I’ve traveled the world from Taiwan to Tullahoma, TN, sipping complex and sometimes extraordinarily rare whiskeys. I sampled fifty-year-old Scotch whiskies in the Scottish Highlands and highly sought-after decades-old bourbon in Kentucky.
That's to say, I know how to pick out the nuanced aromas and flavors found in long-aged, high-quality whiskeys. But I’ve also learned that, while you get what you pay for when you fork over thousands of dollars, you can also find surprisingly high quality whiskey for less than the price of a tank of gas—in some cases, much less.
And while I could write all day about bourbons that fit a perfect value-to-price ratio, today, it’s all about Wild Turkey 101. Don’t believe me? Take a random poll of bourbon drinkers and bartenders and ask them to name their go-to everyday bourbon, and you’ll find many touting the prowess of Wild Turkey 101.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ll agree that this whiskey is no under-the-radar gem. This value bourbon has been made the same way since its inception in 1940. But for whatever reason, Wild Turkey 101 doesn’t get valued like many of its Kentucky-born counterparts. Maybe it's was because too many of us had a bad morning in college after a night imbibing the bourbon. If that's you, it's time to give it another try.
Wild Turkey 101 begins with a mash bill of 75 percent corn, 13 percent rye, and 12 percent malted barley. It’s a blend of bourbons matured between six and eight years in charred American oak barrels. It gets its name because it’s 101-proof.
And, if you haven’t figured it out, this popular bourbon is incredibly inexpensive. Seriously, it's really cheap. In most areas, a 750ml bottle can be yours for about $25.
For a borderline bottom-shelf whiskey, Wild Turkey 101 is surprisingly complex and flavorful. It’s loaded with aromas of toasted vanilla beans, peppery rye, oak, and gentle spices and a palate of caramel corn, vanilla beans, cracked black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. The finish is a nice mix of peppery, spicy, sweet corn, and charred oak. It's surprisingly complex and flavorful for a borderline bottom-shelf whiskey.
It’s good enough to be enjoyed as an everyday sipping whiskey, neat or on the rocks. But it also shines in an old fashioned, Sazerac, or any of your favorite whiskey-based cocktails thanks to its 101 proof. It’s not cask strength by any means, but at 50.5 percent ABV, it won’t be diluted in a mixed drink. Add in your favorite bitters, simple syrup, and any number of tinctures, fruits, and herbs, and this whiskey won’t disappear behind the other flavors. I think of Wild Turkey 101 as the Swiss Army Knife of bourbons because of its unmatched versatility.
I implore you to grab a bottle of Wild Turkey 101 the next time you find yourself at a liquor store. When you get home, crack it open and enjoy it neat before mixing it into a Manhattan. You’ll quickly realize that you won’t find a better, more all-purpose bottle. If you buy it once, it's guaranteed to find a permanent spot on your home bar or bar cart.
Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Courtesy of Wild Turkey
Related: I've Tasted Thousands of Whiskeys. Every Home Bar Needs This Affordable Bourbon