Wild Turkey (bourbon)
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| Type | Bourbon whiskey |
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| Manufacturer | Austin, Nichols Distilling Co. |
| Country of origin | Lawrenceburg, Kentucky USA |
| Introduced | 1940 |
| Proof | 80, 86.8, 101, 108.2 (Wild Turkey Rare Breed) |
| Variants | Rare Breed, Russell's Reserve, Kentucky Spirit |
Wild Turkey is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey distilled and bottled by the Austin, Nichols division of Campari Group. Its nicknames include "The Dirty Bird," "Gobble Gobble," "Thunder Chicken," "Boat Gas" and "The Kickin’ Chicken", the last being a reference to the 101 proof of its most common bottling, as compared to the 80 proof of standard bourbons. The distillery is located near Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. It offers tours, and is part of the American Whiskey Trail and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
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[edit] History
The Ripy brothers built the distillery at Lawrenceburg in 1905 and resumed distilling after Prohibition. The Ripys were bought out by the Austin, Nichols Distilling Co. in 1971, who in turn were bought by Pernod Ricard in 1980.
On April 8, 2009, Campari Group announced the acquisition of the brand and of the distillery from Pernod Ricard.[1]
Distillery executive Thomas McCarthy took some warehouse samples on a wild turkey hunting trip in 1940. The next year his friends asked him for "some of that wild turkey whiskey", and a brand was born. The 80 proof version was introduced in 1974.[2]
[edit] Range
The Wild Turkey label carries a vividly printed, seemingly engraved illustration of its namesake. In the USA, six varieties of the bourbon are generally available: 80 proof, 101 proof, Kentucky Spirit, Russell's Reserve, Rare Breed, and American Honey.
Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit is a single barrel version at 101 proof, the 10 year old named for Master Distiller Jimmy Russell is 90 proof, and the Rare Breed is a blend of 6, 8 and 12-year-old stocks at 108.2 barrel proof.
Versions available in other countries include the 101 proof at 8 and 12 years old, a blend at 106 proof, an 86.8 proof and alcopops pre-mixed with cola or dry ginger.
One reviewer from Whisky Magazine, proclaimed that Wild Turkey 101 is, "A Clint Eastwood of whiskeys." It also earned an 'Editor's Choice' award from the same publication.[3]
The Wild Turkey brand has also been extended to a 101 proof rye whiskey, made from a mash of 65% rye, 23% corn and 12% barley,[4] and to a honey liqueur.
[edit] Kentucky River Fish Kill
On May 9, 2000, a seven-story warehouse in Anderson County, Kentucky was destroyed in a fire, spilling thousands of gallons of Wild Turkey into the Kentucky River. The alcohol resulted in a fish-kill that killed hundreds of thousands of fish along a 66 mile stretch of the river. Wild Turkey paid $256,000 to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife in an effort to restore the fish population in the river.
[edit] References in popular culture
- "Wild Turkey" was the title of a 1982 top-ten country single for singer Lacy J. Dalton. The song employed the names of various whiskies as nicknames for drunken patrons in a bar.
- "Wild Turkey" is also mentioned in the lyrics of the song "Sober" by Muse.
- In "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", Willow references "Wild Turkey" in the Episode "Beer Bad". 'I'm pregnant by my stepbrother who'd rather be with my best friend who's left me with no place to live. No food except this bottle of wild turkey which I drank all up.'
- In the movie "The Punisher," Frank Castle's Punisher's choice of whiskey is "Wild Turkey."
- In the Movie "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" Eddie mentions that his daughter is "In the clinic gettin' cured off the Wild Turkey"
- In the 6th episode of anime series Trigun, Vash the Stampede pours a bottle of Wild Turkey in memory of Rem.
- In the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" Eddie Valiant drank Wild Turkey, which he kept in his shoulder holster.
- In the television series "NCIS", various characters are seen with a bottle of Wild Turkey.
- In David Foster Wallace's seminal novel Infinite Jest, James Incandenza is an alcoholic filmmaker and Tennis Academy head who drinks Wild Turkey.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Cleary, Andrew; Sara Gay Forden (2009-04-09). "Campari Buys Pernod’s Wild Turkey for $575 Million" (in English). Bloomberg. 1. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aEUKHld0JjJ4&refer=muse. Retrieved on 2009-04-09.
- ^ Austin, Nichols. "Wild Turkey History". http://www.wildturkeybourbon.com/nest/history.asp. Retrieved on 2007-09-22.
- ^ Whisky magazine. "Wild Turkey 101". http://www.whiskymag.com/whisky/brand/wild_turkey/whisky376.html. Retrieved on 2007-02-12.
- ^ http://www.epinions.com/review/pr-Wild_Turkey_Rye_101_proof/fddk-review-1843-339B9C0-391B7211-prod1
