The Wild Turkey Distillery, overlooking the Kentucky River, is one of Kentucky’s great whiskey distilleries. This Bourbon’s distinctive flavors are produced using a low barrel entry proof, which creates complexly flavored whiskey, that is then added into Wild Turkey’s characteristic No. 4 “alligator” char barrels. 

Kentucky Spirit is Wild Turkey’s single barrel expression of their iconic Bourbon. Each bottle label has the bottling date, barrel number, warehouse and rick numbers and is bottled at 101 proof. The bottle that I purchased is a selection made by Westport Whiskey & Wine, our local liquor store that consistently picks great barrels. Matt and I sat down and tasted this Bourbon and here are our tasting notes.

Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Single Barrel Selected by Westport Whiskey & Wine

Proof: 101

Age: NAS

Nose:

  • Mike: Brown sugar, leather, vanilla, a little apricot, pepper and oak wood.
  • Matt: Vanilla bean latte, cinnamon, ripe apple, hint of cardamom.

Taste:

  • Mike: Caramel, leather, white pepper and oak. Tasting a dried cranberry brings out apple and cinnamon flavors. Tasted with a pecan brings out a note of chocolate.
  • Matt: Cinnamon, apple, vanilla, brown sugar. The dried cranberry brings out vanilla bean, butter and honey. The pecan brings out notes of cocoa, sour green apple, cranberry and peanut.

Finish:

  • Mike: Medium long with oak and pepper. The dried cranberry brought out more oak and cinnamon. The pecan brought out oak, chocolate and leather.
  • Matt: Oak wood and cinnamon. The dried cranberry brought out oak, vanilla and honey. The pecan emphasized oak and hot cayenne pepper flavors.

I would pair this Bourbon whiskey with one of my favorite cigars, a My Father The Judge Toro. The smooth and creamy smoke with leather and cedar spice has strong chocolate notes that would highlight the similar flavors in this flavorful Bourbon.

Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller