Wild Turkey 8/101 1990 750ml

Bottled in 1990 during the golden age of Jimmy Russell’s tenure, this vintage Austin Nichols Wild Turkey 101 showcases the dense, oily profile that made dusty Turkey bottles legendary among whiskey historians. Maturation for a full eight years at standard 101 proof delivers an intense harmony of antique wood, bold rye, and rich dark fruit. This is an exceptional museum-grade bottle representing an era of Kentucky distilling that modern processes rarely replicate.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Aromas of antique varnished mahogany and weathered leather lead into rich molasses, candied blood orange, clove, pipe tobacco, and that quintessential vintage 'dusty Turkey' earthy funk.

Palate: Viscous and chewy on the tongue, revealing deep notes of dark wild honey, charred oak, toasted pecans, and stewed black cherries balanced by bold, peppery rye spice and herbal mint.

Finish: Exceptionally long and resonant, fading slowly through layers of dark chocolate, old rickhouse oak, warming cinnamon, and lingering leather.

About the Distillery

Austin, Nichols & Co., originally a grocery wholesaler founded in 1855, acquired the historic distillery on Wild Turkey Hill in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, in 1971. Under the stewardship of legendary Master Distiller Jimmy Russell, the 1980s and early 1990s represented a golden era for the brand, characterized by lower barrel entry proofs, open cypress fermentation tanks, and meticulous maturation that yielded exceptionally rich, concentrated whiskey.