A Wild (Turkey) Evening at the Wine Bar

The long awaited (at least by me) Wild Turkey Bourbon Tasting is finally on the calendar- we’re all set for Saturday, May 4 at 6 pm (don’t worry, we won’t miss the Derby!). We’ve assembled the essential progression of Wild Turkey offerings that span the illustrious careers of Master Distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell, the only active father/son Master Distillers in the world. For over 60 years, no other name has appeared on a Wild Turkey label until 2018, when none other than Matthew McConaughey– the new “Creative Director” of Wild Turkey (allrightallrightallright!!)– was added on the label of a new release called “Longbranch”.

We’ll be sampling this new collaboration between the Russells and McConaughey, along with 5 other classic examples (pictured below) of this legendary brand: Wild Turkey (the original), Wild Turkey 101 (higher proof and rye content), Russell’s Reserve 10 Year (small batch and well aged), Rare Breed (barrel proof and uncut), Longbranch (the aforementioned) and Diamond Anniversary (a tribute to Jimmy from Eddie on his 60th year as Master Distiller). We’ll discover the unique elements that set Wild Turkey apart, including the use of the deep #4 “alligator” barrel char, which is the deepest char available and produces the signature amber color and bold taste. If we have enough time and interest (can’t imagine why not!), we’ll try the Makers Keep 17- the oldest expression of Wild Turkey. I’ll leave it you to decide if advanced age becomes Wild Turkey.