BoozeMakers feature · Lawrenceburg, KY
Wild Turkey 101.How it's made.
We scored it 88. Here is what sits behind the number: the char, the time in the rickhouse and the proof.
Bottled at101 proof
That is 50.5% alcohol. Wild Turkey says the proof is what keeps 101's flavor from getting lost in a cocktail.
Built for an Old Fashioned
Wild Turkey calls 101 “the perfect bourbon for an old fashioned cocktail.” Its reasoning: where lower-proof bourbons fade, 101 stands up.
Our review agrees. The Old Fashioned tops our cocktail pairings, ahead of the Whiskey Sour, the Manhattan and the Kentucky Mule.
Corn, rye, malted barley
Wild Turkey credits 101's high rye content and its proof for what it calls a pleasant bite. It does not publish the exact mash bill.
The distillery says it has never used a genetically modified grain, and that its grain is quality-tested at four separate stages.
The people
Two master distillers, one family
Jimmy Russell joined Wild Turkey in 1954, and the distillery calls him the longest-tenured active master distiller in the world. His son Eddie was named master distiller in 2015, making them the only active father-and-son pair of bourbon master distillers.
The deepest char
Distillers burn the inside of new oak barrels to set flavor and color. The levels run from No. 1 to No. 4.
Char levelNo. 4
Wild Turkey uses No. 4, the “alligator” char, on every bourbon and rye it makes, and credits it for 101's amber color and bold flavor.
Tap through the char levels
Char level
Illustrative
- The deepest char available, cracked into scales like alligator skin.
- Wild Turkey uses it on every bourbon and rye it makes, and credits it for 101's amber color and bold flavor.
Source: Char level: wildturkeybourbon.com/our-craft. Images are illustrative.
Three times the legal minimum
Federal rules let a bourbon call itself straight after two years in charred new oak.
Wild Turkey's own floor5 years
The distillery says it never bottles anything younger than five years.
Wild Turkey 1016 to 8 years
That is three to four times the age the law asks of a straight bourbon, spent in seven-story, tin-clad wooden rickhouses that have stood since the 1890s.
The river and the limestone
The distillery sits on a limestone shelf above the Kentucky River. The water runs through that limestone, which strips out iron.
The yeast hasn't changed either: Wild Turkey says it still uses its original proprietary strain, after more than 60 years.
Try it yourself
Explore Wild Turkey 101
How strong is 101 proof?
Source: Proof: wildturkeybourbon.com
Years in the barrel
Illustrative0 years
- † 27 CFR § 5.143
- † wildturkeybourbon.com/our-craft
- † wildturkeybourbon.com
- † wildturkeybourbon.com
Source: Ages: 27 CFR § 5.143 and wildturkeybourbon.com. The color change is illustrative.
Wild Turkey's Old Fashioned
| Wild Turkey 101 | 2.5 oz | 2 pt |
| Simple syrup | 0.25 oz | 0.25 pt |
| Bitters (2 dashes) | 0.08 oz | 0.06 pt |
Stirred · Orange peel
≈ 35.0% ABV Estimate
Estimated from the bottle’s 101 proof, assuming ~25% melt-water for a stirred drink. Actual strength varies with ice and technique.
Source: Recipe: wildturkeybourbon.com
Before and after the barrel
Illustrative
Our verdict
88 / 100
At 101 proof and under $30, it delivers a rich, complex, full-bodied experience that embarrasses bottles costing three times as much.
- Nose
- 87
- Palate
- 89
- Finish
- 88
- Value
- 97
- Complexity
- 84
Nose
Caramel, vanilla, honeyed oak, brown sugar, baking spice, barrel char, toffee, a hint of orange zest
Palate
Rich toffee, cinnamon, black pepper, sweet caramel, seasoned oak, brown sugar, classic Turkey funk, leather
Finish
Long and warming: caramel, seasoned oak, leather, black pepper and lingering baking spice
Where to buy
Check your local store first
Our review lists Wild Turkey 101 at $22 to $30 (MSRP $25), so check your local liquor store first. If it is out, Cask Cartel ships it for $44.99, checked October 15, 2026.
Visit the distillery
1417 Versailles Rd, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
- Wednesday to Saturday
- 9 AM to 5 PM
- Sunday
- 12 PM to 4 PM
- Monday and Tuesday
- Closed
Mix one tonight
Our review pairs it with an Old Fashioned, a Whiskey Sour, a Manhattan or a Kentucky Mule.
Disclosure: The Cask Cartel link is an affiliate link. If you buy through it, BoozeMakers may earn a commission at no cost to you. The link does not affect our score.
Production facts are from wildturkeybourbon.com and 27 CFR § 5.143, checked October 15, 2026. The film sequences are AI-generated renders, the bottle ones built from a Wild Turkey product photo, and are labelled as such in their files. Enjoy responsibly. 21+.