Wild Turkey 12 Year 101 Review (Japan Export)
In Depth Review
I’m going to come right out and say it: don’t go looking for this 12 year Wild Turkey 101 proof at your local liquor store. You aren’t going to find it. And surprisingly – it’s not because this is the latest special allocated release from our friends in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky (I am looking at you Russell’s Reserve 13 year). Instead, this Wild Turkey 12 Year is actually an export only expression – made specifically for the international markets. Overseas you say? Why is Wild Turkey releasing aged products in places Japan when I can’t find age stated products here in America? The answer is a bit long and complicated but suffice to say that bourbon hasn’t always been popular in America (hard to believe I know) and in tough times, a presence in the international market kept great American bourbon distilleries in business. And those relationships and contracts remain in place even today.
But regardless of this perceived “unfairness” in distribution, I am lucky enough to travel to Japan relatively often for work and hunt the stores of Tokyo looking for releases such as this. So what do we have here? This new bottling is a revival of an old expression from Wild Turkey, but with new specs, packaging, and design for 2022. This is a 12 year old product, bottled at 101 proof, and uses the traditional 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley mashbill for Wild Turkey. I found it for about 6,000 Yen – which if you have been following currencies lately, worked out to only about $45 for a 700ml bottle. So let’s dive in and see if Wild Turkey is really shipping off some of their best stuff overseas.
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 50.5%
Cask: New American Oak
MSRP: $50 (Depends on currency exchange rate)
Distillery Name: Wild Turkey
Review Date: 11/21/22
Color: Bold amber color
Nose: The initial nose on this is big. I poured about an ounce in a Glencairn and returned a few minutes later to find the entire room filled with whiffs of bourbon goodness. It’s classic Wild Turkey – with spicy caramel and lots of barrel char leaving a smokey undertone. Mind you, it’s not a peaty whiskey of course, but you can immediately tell the influence of the heavy char levels on the barrels. Its nose is dark and earthy, with spiced wood, and a thick and luscious character.
Palate: The initial sip hits my palate with a blast of spearmint and eucalyptus. The rye influence comes through immediately, but then settles into waves of earthy sweetness. There is a cherry cola or root beer vibe going on with dark cocoa and browned butter sauce. As the sip continues, orange chocolate makes an appearance as does a heavy French vanilla bean note. The mouthfeel is fantastic with a thick and viscous body that coasts the mouth well, leaving a thick earthy, spiced sweetness behind that puckers the side of the cheeks.
Finish: As we move into the finish more of the barrel char from the nose comes through, leading to lovely nutmeg, allspice and clove baking spices on a long and inviting finish. The 101 proof is just enough to make you want to keep going back for more, with that lingering cola note lasting into the next sip.
Final Thoughts: I realize I am borderline gushing about this whiskey, but it truly is an extraordinary experience. This Wild Turkey 12 101 proof is classic Wild Turkey – with an earthy, spicy, funk that melds well with those classic bourbon characteristics. It’s rewarding yet challenging – but without the barrel proof bravado that has become such a norm in today’s bourbon world. It’s just the right proof to not rough you up and keeps you excited and engaged throughout the sip. Its 12 years in wood is the backbone of this whisky – giving it a strong deep and rich character but never becomes too oaky or oversaturated. Is this the perfect Wild Turkey? This may very well be the best readily available bourbon under $50 – if your address is overseas.
