Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I’m obviously going to be drinking Wild Turkey today so I’ll start things off with 3 picks I’ve really enjoyed from folks I’ve met online.
Russell’s Reserve Private Barrel Selections
Bourbon Enthusiast
Age: 8.5 years
Proof: 110
Warehouse: F
Floor: 4
Barrel: 21-592
Nose: Oak and spice forward with vanilla cream rounding it out.
Taste: Vanilla cream, baking spices, a bit of caramel and rich oak. Nice, viscous mouthfeel on par for the proof.
Finish: Long, warm finish with lingering vanilla extract, oak and lots of baking spice.
120th West 58th Street Wine & Liquor
Age: Unknown, label covered
Proof: 110
Warehouse: K
Floor: 4
Barrel: 21-0159
Nose: Sweeter than the BE nose with caramel, vanilla and rye spice. Almost like a baked treat made with rye bread.
Taste: Again on the sweet side with more caramel and vanilla but especially the caramel. The spice and oak are present but faint. Similar mouthfeel.
Finish: Long and very neatly balanced with sticky caramel, baking spice and oak.
Taste Select Repeat Zeus
Age: 8.75 years
Proof: 110
Warehouse: E
Floor: 4
Barrel: 20-0199
Nose: Very distinct from the first two with a clear nutty note in addition to the toffee and spice like holiday spiced nut brittle.
Taste: More toffee and nuts backed by subtler spice and oak. Delicious. Slightly thinner mouthfeel than the first two but still quite nice.
Finish: Medium length finish that’s more on profile with toffee, baking spice and oak notes.
Conclusion
The Bourbon Enthusiast pick is a great example of the spicy side of the Wild Turkey profile while the 120th pick is all the sweet goodness Turkey can bring. Zeus is a whole different animal that brings in a note I tend to like (nutty) but that generally isn’t present in Wild Turkey for me.
I’m not picking any winners or losers this time. These are all great picks and I’m thankful for the folks I’ve met online through the bourbon community who help me get some great bottles of whiskey! Happy Turkey Day 🦃🎉