WILD TURKEY RELEASES AMERICA’S FAVOURITE BARREL PROOF BOURBON IN THE UK
‘Bourbon Buddha’ hit arrives in time for Fall and Thanksgiving celebrations
Drinkers who like their spirits with big bold flavours have a new way to wet their whistle with Wild Turkey® Rare Breed® landing in the UK for the first time. Bottling at barrel proof (uncut with water) gives an extra edge to the rich and silky bourbon whiskies that have aged for six, eight and 12 years in oak barrels at the distillery’s home in Lawrenceberg, Kentucky.
Already the number one barrel proof bourbon in the USA, Rare Breed has been carefully crafted, without compromise, by Jimmy Russell, the legendary 82 year old Master Distiller of Wild Turkey (in his home town, Jimmy is known as the ‘Bourbon Buddha’). The result is an exceptionally rich full-bodied bourbon with sweet notes, spicy characteristics and a long, dried fruit finish. Attaining an easy-drinking bourbon at such a high alcohol strength (56.4% ABV) is no easy feat.
Commenting on the product, Jimmy’s son, and fellow Master Distiller, Eddie Russell said: “We’ve always liked to age our bourbons for longer than many other distillers and when it’s tried like this without water, you can really see why this makes sense. The Wild Turkey peppery, spicy characteristics burst out, but they’re sweetly rounded from the years of maturation in brand new oak barrels. Hell, it’s so smooth Jimmy keeps his in the freezer so he can serve it chilled without ice diluting it.”
To make a batch of Rare Breed, only the finest bourbons are selected from the warehouses. The six year old whiskies gives the drink a lively kick, the eight year olds offers a smooth heart and the 12 year olds deliver a rich depth.
The release of Rare Breed in the UK comes at a time when bartenders and consumers are tuning into the qualities of bourbon, both in cocktails like the old fashioned and neat, often as a boilermaker partner. Judges at the world’s top competitions also recognise Rare Breed’s excellence – it collected a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco Spirits Competition earlier this year.
Available from Amazon, The Whisky Exchange and specialist retailers with a RRP of £47.95 for a 700ml bottle, Wild Turkey Rare Breed is on shelf from now. The stocky glass bottle comes with a cork stopper and both the bottle and outer pack carry awesomely detailed turkey illustrations.
Tasting notes:
Colour: Bright amber
Nose: Dense aromas of roasted whole nots, peppercorns, banana custard pie and burnt sugar with a round silky medium-full body
Taste: Tongue-warming polished wood, lemongrass, slate and white pepper finish (with water added, rounds out to a long, lingering finish with dried fruits)
Wild Turkey on Facebook: /wildturkey Wild Turkey on Twitter: @WildTurkeyUK
ABOUT WILD TURKEY
The Distillery for Wild Turkey Bourbon is located in Kentucky, situated on a deep limestone shelf on the Kentucky River. The shelf acts as a natural filter and provides the distillery with crystal clear water, vital to making such a high quality product. The whiskey is fermented for 72 hours. Wild Turkey features the legendary father and son Master Distilling team of Jimmy and Eddie Russell, who have 90 years of combined experience making bourbon.
The famous Wild Turkey brand name first came about back in 1940 when distillery executive Thomas McCarthey took a few warehouse samples on a Wild Turkey hunting trip with a group of friends. The following year, his friends asked him for “some of that Wild Turkey whiskey” and the brand was born.
Wild Turkey is distilled and put into new oak barrels at a much lower ABV than most bourbon. This results in a much richer flavor, as less is cooked out during the production process. Ageing in the highest quality new American oak barrels with the heaviest char available (the Number 4 “alligator” char), imparts a smooth flavor and deep amber color to the whiskey. Wild Turkey is one of only a few bourbons to use this expensive, deep char.
The barrels are filled at the distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. www.wildturkey.com
ABOUT Campari UK:
Gruppo Campari’s UK subsidiary, headquartered in London. A multicultural and dynamic team composed of 40 Camparistas from 10 different nationalities. Established on March 1st 2015, it took over from J. Wray & Nephew UK, a well-established brand builder and distributor of premium Jamaican rums. At the heart of Campari UK there are two main portfolio offerings: the Italian portfolio with heritage brands such as Campari and Aperol and the white & dark spirits portfolio, led by the Jamaican rum brands Appleton Estate Rum and Wray & Nephew Overproof, as well as Wild Turkey Kentucky Bourbon. The company spans an unrivalled premium spirits and specialty offer in its quality, innovation and style and is also the exclusive UK distributor for Bulldog Gin. www.campariuk.com
ABOUT GRUPPO CAMPARI:
Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A., together with its affiliates (‘Gruppo Campari’), is a major player in the global beverage sector, trading in over 190 nations around the world with leading positions in Europe and the Americas. The Group was founded in 1860 and today is the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry. The Group’s portfolio, with over 50 brands, spans spirits, the core business, wines and soft drinks. Internationally-renowned brands include Aperol, Appleton Estate, Campari, Cinzano, SKYY Vodka and Wild Turkey. Headquartered in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, Campari owns 16 plants and 2 wineries worldwide and has its own distribution network in 19 countries. The Group employs around 4,000 people. The shares of the parent company, Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A. (Reuters CPRI.MI – Bloomberg CPR IM), are listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001. For more information: www.camparigroup.com . Please enjoy our brands responsibly.