Wild Turkey Debuts Family Collaboration, Generations
Wild Turkey Distilling Company announced the release of Wild Turkey Generations, a first-ever collaboration from three generations of the Russell family of whiskey makers. This ultra-premium and highly limited release from Wild Turkey reflects more than a century of bourbon-making prowess; it is a blend of four hand-selected whiskies that showcase the varied palates, personal preferences and exacting expertise of Jimmy, Eddie and Bruce Russell.
Generations is an opportunity to experience a whiskey created by the legendary grandfather, father and son trio, and this extremely rare release is the first to feature the signatures of all three Russells on the custom-etched bottle, including that of newly appointed Associate Blender Bruce Russell.
Commemorating the Russell family’s impact on bourbon making, Generations is made of four bourbons that were chosen by Jimmy, Eddie and Bruce for their unique characteristics, then blended in varying increments for a harmonious flavor profile. It was bottled at 120.8 proof.
Bruce, like his grandfather Jimmy, prefers bold bourbon flavors, which come through in the 12-year bourbon he selected for the blend. Eddie has a penchant for a softer honeyed, vanilla-laden flavor that typically comes from older bourbons, such as his 15-year-old selection and the 14-year-old whiskey he and Bruce picked together. Jimmy stayed true to his palate, as he has for decades, by selecting a nine-year-old bourbon consistent with the classic Wild Turkey profile.
Jimmy Russell, the longest-tenured, active Master Distiller in the global spirits industry and an instrumental figure in shaping Kentucky bourbon as it exists today, started the family tradition when he began working at Wild Turkey distillery in 1954. He soon began to teach his son Eddie, then a union worker, the craft.
Eddie was a quick study who rose through the ranks and was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2010, joining his father who earned the prestigious recognition in 2001. Before long, Eddie’s son, Bruce, became involved with the business, first as an ambassador and recently as a blender. As Associate Blender, Bruce spends his days tending to bourbons and ryes from the fabled Wild Turkey rickhouses, then blending to achieve new flavor profiles, bringing his own approach to the teachings and techniques passed down through the family.
With a suggested retail price of $450, Wild Turkey Generations will be available in limited quantities; approximately 5,000 bottles will be available at select retailers nationwide. Wild Turkey fans in the United States will also have exclusive access to a limited online pre-sale in the coming days; by signing up for the Wild Turkey community newsletter here, fans can explore the story behind this release and ensure that they are the first to learn more about pre-sale availability.