Wild Turkey Distilling Company announced it is bringing Wild Turkey 101 8-Year-Old Bourbon to the United States as a permanent offering, with the product rolling out on shelves alongside the classic Wild Turkey 101 this April. 

This age-stated bourbon pays homage to the original Wild Turkey 101, which was famously bottled after eight years of aging.

In recent years, Wild Turkey 101 8-Year-Old Bourbon has exclusively been available in select export markets, where it has garnered a devoted following and become a best-selling cult favorite among consumers and collectors around the world. Despite its rarity in the US, the bourbon remains one of Master Distiller Jimmy Russell’s favorite whiskeys – making the permanent US launch particularly special for the Russell family as Jimmy begins his eighth decade at Wild Turkey.

“Wild Turkey 101 8-Year-Old Bourbon has always been a favorite – not just for my granddad Jimmy, but for bourbon lovers around the globe,” Wild Turkey’s Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell said in a news release. “This bourbon holds a special place in our distillery’s history, and its return to the U.S. proves the timeless quality of its recipe. As age-stated expressions become more popular across the category in the U.S., we are looking forward to more bourbon enthusiasts being able to enjoy this masterfully crafted bourbon.”

The United States’ eagerness for an age-stated Wild Turkey 101 was evidenced last year when the distillery released a limited run of age-stated bourbon in a commemorative bottle to celebrate Jimmy Russell’s 70th anniversary at Wild Turkey. That one-time offering, blended by Eddie and Bruce Russell as a celebratory tribute to Jimmy, featured the iconic Master Distiller’s signature 8-year-old, 101-proof bourbon along with an additional blend of 8- to 9-year-old whiskeys that were hand-selected from a few of his favorite rickhouses. 

With the growing appreciation for age-stated bourbons in the US, the permanent reintroduction of Wild Turkey 101 8-Year-Old Bourbon caters to those seeking an aged expression of the whiskey that still shines with bold flavor from its classic high-proof.

Compared to the standard Wild Turkey 101 offering that is made using a blend of 6- to 8-year-old bourbons, Wild Turkey 101 8-Year-Old is blended from a smaller batch of barrels that are hand-selected for the characteristics and complexity they’ll bring to a neat pour. Packaged in a 750ml bottle for the US, the suggested retail price is $45 USD. 

Read more: Wild Turkey Celebrates 70th Anniversary of Legend Jimmy Russell

ABOUT WILD TURKEY

The distillery for Wild Turkey Bourbon is in Kentucky, situated on a deep limestone shelf on the Kentucky River. The shelf acts as a natural filter and provides the distillery with crystal clear water, vital to making such a high-quality product. Wild Turkey features the legendary father and son Master Distilling team of Jimmy and Eddie Russell, who have over 100 years of collective experience working at the Wild Turkey distillery, and are now joined by the next generation, Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell. For more information, visit https://www.wildturkeybourbon.com/.