Wild Turkey 8 Year Old 101 Proof

Wild Turkey 8 Year Old 101 Proof Bourbon

The Wild Turkey Distillery sits along Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail, where Master Distiller Jimmy Russell and his team craft high-rye bourbon according to a time-tested recipe. Wild Turkey’s 8 Year Old 101 Proof Bourbon is a small-batch blend of barrels aged a minimum of eight years. This age-stated expression pays tribute to the brand’s heritage – the original Wild Turkey 101 debuted in the 1940s with an 8-year age statement. After the age statement was dropped in the 1990s for domestic releases, the 8-year-old version remained a cult favorite overseas. In April 2025 Wild Turkey announced it would return permanently to U.S. shelves, reclaiming its place among the distillery’s flagship 101-proof offerings. As the label indicates, it is 101 proof (50.5% ABV), delivering a bold yet refined bourbon that master distillers describe as both “robust” and “smooth.”

On the nose, Wild Turkey 8 Year 101 Proof greets you with classic bourbon aromas: caramel, toasted nuts, citrus peel and sweet charred oak. The palate is rich and layered – flavors of vanilla, clove, and toffee give way to charred oak, lemon zest and a hint of black cherry. It finishes long and warming, with brown sugar, dried fruit, vanilla and baking-spice notes lingering on the tongue. The liquid pours a deep amber-gold hue (the result of at least eight years in heavily charred new oak). At 101 proof it is full-bodied and powerful, yet the extra aging keeps it surprisingly smooth and balanced, making it ideal to sip neat or with a few drops of water.