Is Wild Turkey Overrated?
Let’s acknowledge something right out of the gate, you’ve likely arrived at this column with either pitchforks, popcorn, or pom-pom’s. This is not meant to be any sort of click-bait headline article where I trash a storied brand, and you burn my house to the ground and piss on the ashes. I intend for this feature to explain how I feel that Wild Turkey is to be celebrated for what it is, and ignored for what it isn’t.
It’s hard to go wrong with Russell’s 10 year, in fact I consider it to be one of the best standard bourbons on earth.
This piece began in my mind as a reasonable (to me at least) attempt at determining my favorite of the major distilleries (spoiler alert- it’s Beam). The process consisted of looking deeply at a brands portfolio, considering which things I loved, which ones I did not, and then comparing their standards to their mid-range to the limited editions and attempting to measure the gaps between the low and high and see if the elevated releases warranted celebration.
I began with Wild Turkey, that stalwart whiskey company that just consistently produces some of the best drinking Bourbon and Rye on the market at a fair price without the absurdity of the Buffalo Trace effect. While the brand has many high-profile acolytes, tip of the cap to RareBird101, it’s so far still not an absurdly coveted brand as far as the “collectors” or insaniacs go.
While Turkey has obviously released some good editions of their Masters Keep series, they don’t tend to command a lot of money (thus far) on the secondary markets (I think I might know why). A simple ISO on the gram will usually net some folks eager to help out, and not at a premium. There are exceptions of course, notably the Russell’s 13 year (we will get to that in a moment), but for the most part, Turkey is about as blue collar as they come, and that is some high praise indeed.
It is my belief, that this is the best product that comes out of Turkey, period. It crushes Cornerstone, and a lot of other Ryes frankly.
Turkey fans tend to be quite vocal on the web, their netizens never tire of telling people how great the whiskey is (not wrong here), and how foolish you are for chasing elusive releases from other brands (pretty good advice). Turkey is everywhere (true) and it’s priced well (also true). A visit to the distillery is not that exciting, honestly one of the most boring tours on the trail, but it does showcase a workmanlike efficiency and how they’ve translated decades of Bourbon making knowledge into a no-frills matter-of-fact production operation that just continues to churn out affordable, tasty, and versatile Bourbon and Rye whiskey that is nothing less than excellent. Turkey fans have much to be proud of here and I am not looking to detract from that.
While I appreciate the fanaticism of these Turkeyheads in championing their brand, they lose me when they celebrate some of the so-called “unicorn” releases from their distillery. They get juiced at some of the “specials” like the 13-year-old Russell’s, or the Masters Keep’s, or the single-rick house nonsense, but these releases do little for me and many others. The reality is, their lineup is pretty freaking great bottom-to-top, and their limiteds for the most part, barely exceed the quality below it.
Arguably one of the very best of the Master’s Keep lineup, but still, not quite light years beyond their standards.
What I’ve found over the years is that the differences between the baseline products (the 101’s) and the Russell’s (to me the premium of their lineup) adequately warrants the two brands in the portfolio. The quality of both lines are so damn good in their own ways, but both are different enough to be able to appreciate both, or take sides. I worry that Turkey is entering a point of brand transition from old dependable, to keeping up with the trends. Some of the elevated releases haven’t been spectacular enough, particularly when compared to their own excellent standards.
The gap between the Russell’s singles and the elevated releases RR13, Master Keep series etc… aren’t that significant. Case in point, when the Cornerstone rye was released, it was wildly heralded until people started doing side by sides with the Russell’s single barrel rye…. and all anyone could talk about was the price difference. The nuance between the two, was not extraordinary enough for people to pick Cornerstone as the better of the two in any meaningful way.
One of the most disappointing rye’s I’ve ever had, it was older, but not better, than the Russell’s single barrels. The irony is, it’s still really good.
Wild Turkey is reliably putting out whiskey that connects with not only its extensive fanbase, but non-insaniacs as well. When was the last time you were out at a bar, and you didn’t see Turkey on the shelf? Go on, I’ll wait while you think long and hard. So many people have a relationship to Turkey, whether it was your first Bourbon, your relatives Bourbon of choice, or your first drinking experience (yeah, we know, lots of you pitched your cookies after drinking too much 101 in college…). It’s hard to ignore the fact that many of us learned to appreciate whiskey because of Turkey. It is the benchmark for so many of us to compare others to.
While we continue our journey of exploration, Turkey is always there, like a loyal dog awaiting its owners return, always happy to see us whenever we’re ready to pay attention to it. We online drinkers are always seeking out the new, the hot, the fresh, and Turkey sits patiently whenever we want one, never complaining about the new kid in the house. I go to bars, and since I often have a better selection at home, I look for Turkey 101 as my drink of choice, bonus points if it’s 101 Rye (assuming there’s no Fighting Cock, but that’s another story). There is a reason it’s ubiquitous the world over- It always delivers.
Ok, this one wasn’t overrated, but still not great enough to change my mind on Turkey’s ability to do elevated releases that warrant excitement.
I put the question “Is Wild Turkey Overrated” to the internet, and I got some really good takes, many of which I will post, credit, and respond to. I truly thought I might get torched for even asking the question, but I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of thoughtful responses I received. Here are some of them.
From Josiah Hunt- “Certain releases are overrated. The base releases are good for the price, but the Master’s Keep releases might be more overrated and harder to find.”
I have to agree here. The 101 lineup, as well as the Russell’s standards are unreal, and the price is practically a gift to drinkers. The MK’s haven’t really blown doors off in most cases, and are slight elevations over their standards.
Joe Jarosch said- “Absolutely not. They produce consistently stellar bottles and continue to evolve. They give access to single-barrel picks that have been some of the best bottles I have ever tasted. In a whiskey industry that is ever evolving, they are an anchor that almost every distiller idolizes.”
Joe’s take is solid. Their picks are arguably the best in show, I dare anyone to challenge that.
From Bryan Cormier- “I think Turkey is highly underrated, they don’t have to flood the market with distractions, they stick with a core line and don’t take shit away from it like Beam does.”
I don’t agree with the Beam shade, (did you expect anything else?), but I understand the appreciation for the core line, which many micro-distilleries should pay attention to as they come to market.
Low Class & High Proof offered one of the most expansive takes and I love him for it- “Is Wild Turkey overrated? I think that’s a multi-step answer if we’re talking about the company or the bourbons. In a writ large answer, I think they’re consistently one of the best distilleries in Kentucky making consistently great whisky. Wild Turkey 81 proof? Swill that rides the coattails of its illustrious brethren. WT101- I mean, Hunter S. Thompson was a fan for a reason. I semi-seriously will say I thought it tasted better at $20 versus its new $27ish resting place in many markets, but still one of the kings of the sub-$30 range in my book. Great neat, outstanding in a cocktail. Rare Breed- absolutely outstanding for the price, but allow me to speak out of both sides of my mouth and say I actually like Russell’s Single-Barrel more. Kentucky Spirit- Here’s my WT hot take bottle. Why do we need this one when Russell’s single-barrel exists? It’s not bad by any means, but I’m not quite sure who this is for. Russell’s Bourbon- The 6 and 10 years are great for the price, but the single barrel is the best thing origination out of Anderson County considering the price and availability. Ryes- the WT101 Rye is capital-F FINE, but I like Rittenhouse and Old Forester 100-proof more. The Rare Breed Rye and Russell’s Rye are rock solid however. Allocated Stuff- I’ll let you know when I find some. I guess my TL;DR answer is- great distillery, but generally I think the Russell’s bottlings are more impressive in a general sense/I like them more. I will say if I was picking a single Bourbon to present an alien invader as an example of “this is a middle of the road Bourbon, good to drink or mix, and commonly enjoyed by many on an average day, WT101 is my answer and maybe that means something.”
There is so much about this take that I agree with from the bottom of my soul, from Hunter, to meaning something, to the superiority of Russell’s that I’ll leave it here comment free.
Birdies & Bourbon Podcast hit this cleanly- “Whether it’s budget friendly 101 or barrel proof Rare Breed, it delivers for me and shouldn’t be overlooked.”
Shea was to the point- “Not overrated. I consider the standard of what Bourbon should taste like and offers exceptional value for the price.”
Another great long take from BarrelProofNerd- “Ohhh this one is going to get me started on a Sunday. WT to me is the cool brand to love if you’re “in the know.” On the surface its specs are a whiskey nerds dream. Generally readily available, reasonably priced, good age statements, not hyped up by everyone and their mother getting into the hobby, doesn’t appear to chase the latest trends, and has some truly great releases in the distant past. In practice though, I think most of their modern releases tend to fall flat for me with an underwhelming mid-palate. Easily drinkable and enjoyable for sure, but not usually wowing me. I often question if a brand other than WT put out some of these releases if the same WT fans would pan it as underwhelming. It’s like the parallel universe version of Buffalo Trace that’s populated by whiskey nerds and purists. In short, my answer is yes, I think modern WT is overrated by the whiskey nerds, but “dusty Turkey” is really fantastic in a lot of cases and I think drives the appeal today.”
I often wonder if a lot of modern releases from lots of distilleries benefit somehow from the legacy of legendary vintages.
Leonidas mentioned - “Great question and one I found myself wondering from time to time. Do they make good Bourbon? Yes. Are they one of a kind? Probably not, as at least to me, they have a seemingly one-directional product offering, just at different price points. Will I stop buying their stuff? No, as now and then I’m in the mood for smoky sticky toffee pudding with a bite. This question is quite subjective with no definitive proof on either side, but fun to tease out nonetheless. Also it depends on your definition of overrated and benchmarking.”
I asked this question to provoke a conversation for sure, and I’m delighted with the opinions expressed.
My pal Todd from NYC chimed in with- “No - it’s not. In fact, I think it’s underrated. To add more color, I think if you’re deep in whiskey, you understand what WT has done for a very long time, and has continued to raise the bar across other brands, including Russell’s Reserve. However, folks outside the community who dabble in whiskey still see WT in the same pane as Cuervo.”
I think you're correct here Todd, 101 in particular tends to take people back to their times at the lake, gathered around the campfire and waking up a few pounds lighter if you catch my drift.
My Rye sister Amy hit me with- “After some thought, a cup of coffee, and a few episodes of Sex and the City, ironically, one guest-starring Matthew McConaughey, I’ve come up with- NO, Wild Turkey isn’t overrated. I’m not one to be sucked into hype-holes so I am often oblivious to what the hottest bottle is. The way I see Wild Turkey is well, it’s a brand I have to take a minute to think on. They seem to make news but nobody (as a whole) cares. They forever put out exceptional whiskey. We all drink it. Love it. And then talk about every other brand. Is it because WT is such a constant and excellent in their normal that there’s nothing “new and hot” to rave and hype over?”
I love this perspective, the onliners will talk Turkey on Thanksgiving, but mostly they hype every other damn thing.
The Sammy P delivers an opus- “HECK NO. Turkey is fantastic on both he Bourbon and Rye sides. The best part about Turkey is that you can get a $20-ish bottles that’s pretty dang good and you incrementally work your way up from there to better and better bottles. The only bottle I feel is unnecessary (not overrated) is Kentucky Spirit. It’s solid but just sort of feels redundant when you consider how good Russell’s Reserve and Rare Breed are. I love the Turkey Funk and it is 1a on my list of recommendations when people ask me about what whiskey they should try as a novice. My only complaint with WT is that I was unable to get either a Cornerstone or Unforgotten. As I write this, I can’t help but note that other than Masters Keep, al WT expressions are super widely available and easy to find (at least in the SouthWest).”
It’s a common theme that Spirit seemingly has no reason to exist, even amongst its most passionate fans.
Whiskey Spectre is short and sweet- “Is WT overrated? Compared to whom? I think they’re mostly underrated. They have great product sitting on the shelves, while other people go crazy over “special” releases that are only marginally better. 10-year-old Bourbon and 6-year-old Rye are great bargains. I don’t care much for Rare Breed Bourbon, but quite enjoy Rare Breed Rye.”
Our views on the Turkey specials align closely.
Nick will bring it home here with a fabulous take that we should all pay attention to- “I have only been in the whiskey game for 3 years, but my 2-cents is that the charm of WT has always been that it was solid Bourbon always on the shelf and largely unaffected by hype and secondary prices. It was the affordable and dependable darling you could count on being available. But that seems to be changing a bit. Russell’s picks hav dried up in my area and Masters Keeps and LE’s are at ridiculous prices now. WT is probably my favorite distillery but I’ve honestly rarely been blown away by one of their offerings aside from RR2002 (ED NOTE- see that pic above? LEGEND) and last years RR13. The Single Rickhouse I just cracked would make any Turkey fan smile, but the $250 MSRP is insanity. I’ll stick to 101, Russell’s picks (if I can find), and the Rare Breeds, but I can’t see myself reaching for their LE’s too much going forward. So while I love their juice, like Buffalo Trace, I think the hype and secondary market is starting to chip away at their affordable/available/always solid reputation.”
The last line of the take hit me, it’s almost as if you’re into that really local indy band that just hit big…. you lost something, even thought it’s still there for the most part.
Turkey fans have got this right, 101 is a classic. Not overrated one bit. .
I cannot thank everyone specifically that participated and took the time to send me their thoughts via DM on Instagram. I can mention that I appreciated every single comment. This was a feature I’d been thinking about for some time, and I really wanted to avoid the cynical hot take click bait bullshit that the internet is already so full of. I wanted to pose a challenging question to provoke some thoughtful discussion, and I got back far more than I had expected. I didn’t get one negative comment, which in this day and age is an outright shock. Each responder took the time to share their thoughts and feelings on a brand that clearly resonates with so many of us whiskey fans.
To sum it all up, I personally feel that Turkey is so good with their standard to mid-level offerings (101 to Russell’s) that their special editions simply cannot BE be exponentially better, their foundation is just so more solid than many others. Was Russell’s 13 great? Sure. Was it exponentially better than some single-barrel picks I’ve had? Not on your life. Was it worth the crazy money that is now following the new hot Turkey hype? You know my answer.
In circling back to the question that sparked this conversation- Is Wild Turkey Overrated? No, and Yes at the same time. It is a question that demands nuance. So here it is to close it all out. Standard to mid-range Turkey is in fact, UNDERRATED. The stuff is so good that every whiskey insaniac adores at least a couple of their offerings. There is likely no other distillery that unifies the netizens like Turkey. Who the hell despises Turkey? Only frat and sorority alumni who had too many solo cups full of it way too many times without eating anything more than Ramen. Where I get to the overrated is almost every single elevated Turkey release from the Masters Keeps to the high end Russell’s stuff. Those bottles rarely create enough separation from the mid-range to warrant the prices or excitement. It’s not an indictment of Turkey, in fact it’s a glorious compliment that their lineup is so good that even Jimmy and Eddie struggle to elevate it.
Essentially I find Turkey to be one of the best blue collar Bourbons and Ryes on the market and that is no slight at all. They may not win the hype, but they win our money more often than not.
As always, I thank you all for taking the time to drop by and spend some of your precious time with me, I hope you’ve enjoyed this feature, and I encourage you to share your thoughts with me in the comments.
- Mickey Pinstripe