Wild Turkey (bourbon)
| File:WildTurkeyBottle.jpg | |
| Type | Bourbon whiskey |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Austin, Nichols Distilling Co. |
| Country of origin |  Lawrenceburg, Kentucky USA |
| Introduced | 1940 |
| Proof (US) | 80, 86.8, 101, 108.2 (Wild Turkey Rare Breed) |
| Variants | Rare Breed, Russell's Reserve, Kentucky Spirit |
| Website | www |
Wild Turkey is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey distilled and bottled by the Austin, Nichols division of Pernod Ricard. Its nicknames include "The Dirty Bird" and "The Kickin’ Chicken", the latter a reference to the 101 proof of its most common bottling, as compared to the 80 proof of standard bourbons.
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.
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.[1]
Range
The Wild Turkey label carries a vividly printed, seemingly engraved illustration of its namesake. In the USA, five varieties of the bourbon are generally available: 80 proof, 101 proof, Kentucky Spirit, Russell's Reserve, and Rare Breed.
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 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, a 86.8 proof and alcopops pre-mixed with eg cola.
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.[2]
The Wild Turkey brand has also been extended to a rye whiskey and to a honey liqueur.
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.
In popular culture
- The Wild Turkey distillery is on the American Whiskey Trail.
- Wild Turkey was a known favorite of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, and he alluded to instances of drinking it several times in his writings.[1]
- Clint Eastwood famously orders and consumes Wild Turkey in the 1975 film The Eiger Sanction.
- In the film "Thelma & Louise", Thelma is often seen buying and drinking Wild Turkey.
- Frank Castle consumes copious quantities of Wild Turkey in The Punisher.
- Bobby Bacala orders "Wild Turkey, neat" at a bar in a season 4 episode of the Sopranos.
- In the Muse song "Sober" on their first album Showbiz, Wild Turkey is mentioned at the start of the second verse:
- Wild Turkey's been chosen
- its caramel nose can smell me...
- In the anime Trigun almost all the alcohol featured is Wild Turkey [citation needed]
- In Grindhouse Second segment, Death Proof. As seen in the bar the girls take "6 shots of wild turkey."
- During his back pain problems, Pantera's lead singer Phil Anselmo used to drink an entire bottle of Wild Turkey before any concert, using the whiskey as a painkiller.
- In the book series "Liquor (novel)" by Poppy Z. Brite main characters Rickey and G-man are always downing Wild Turkey.
- In the Sylvester Stallone movie "First Blood", Sheriff Will Teasle (Brian Dennehy) orders a Wild Turkey during his conversation in the bar with Colonel Trautman (Richard Crenna).
- Mentioned in first verse of theZZ Top song Driving While Blind
- When You driving down the highway at night
- And yo're feeling that wild turkeys bite
- A fifth of 80 proof appears more than once in the movie Out Cold.
- Reputedly, professional daredevil Evel Knievel used to take a shot of Wild Turkey before every jump.
- Kevin Costner drinks Wild Turkey numberous times in the movie "The Guardian"
- In "Christmas Vacation", cousin Eddie explains the absence of his daughter from the visit to the Griswold's by saying she is in the clinic "getting cured off the Wild Turkey".
See also
References
- ^ Austin, Nichols. "Wild Turkey History". Retrieved 2007-09-22.
- ^ Whisky magazine. "Wild Turkey 101". Retrieved 2007-02-12.