Average

Wild Turkey 81 Straight Bourbon Whiskey
40.5% ABV
$20
Available: Throughout the US

What the distillery says (Matt’s interpretation of the press release):
Wild Turkey 81 is Eddie Russell’s first solo project for the distillery. After cutting his teeth working with his father on the Russell’s Reserve bottlings (and one could assume the rest of the Wild Turkey portfolio), Eddie comes out of the gate with a whiskey specifically designed for cocktails. With WT 81, Eddie hopes to hit the niche that finds Wild Turkey 101 a bit too harsh and other whiskeys too wimpy for mixed drinks. He uses the classic Wild Turkey high-rye mash with heavily charred barrels and blends whiskeys ranging from 6-8 years of age. The press release has this to say about the WT 81:

The result is a whiskey with a deep, rich amber color, and a nose full of fruit, butterscotch, toffee and toasted oak. On the tongue, you discover cigar-box sweetness, caramel, vanilla and pear, with a long finish of rich spice notes and hints of toast.

What Matt says:
Nose: Citrus, mint, caramel, oak, and shellac
Palate: A little sharp, acidic and warm, mint and caramel, rye spice and a little char
Finish: Clean and malty with a lingering sweetness
Comments: A little water mellows the sharpness on the palate, but (as expected) this whiskey really shines in a cocktail. With all the natural mint flavors, I decided to throw together a quick Mint Julep. To my palate, Eddie Russell reached his goal here. I’m not a big fan of Wild Turkey in general (with the exceptions of Kentucky Spirit and certain bottlings of Russell’s Reserve), but there is a good balance of rye spice, caramel sweetness, proof and char to the 81. Plus, it retails for $19.99. You can’t really beat that.

Special thanks to Brian Roundy at The Thomas Collective for the generous sample.

Big Bottom American Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 3 Years
45.5% ABV/91 Proof
$27.99
Available in stores in Oregon and soon to be Georgia, online in additional states

What the Distillery/Bottler Says:
Aged in new white oak casks and proofed at 91°, our American Straight Bourbon Whiskey consists of 36% rye. The complexity of the whiskey contains spicy undertones of cloves and allspice entwined with honeysuckle. The pleasing balances of spice create a long smooth finish.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Vanilla, caramel, fresh cut wood, a little floral note here and there.
Palate: On the tongue it’s young but relatively smooth. Fruity sweetness followed by rye spice.
Finish: Very hot on the finish. Even with a good measure of water it’s still a hot one.
Comments: For three year old bourbon this was a lot better than I expected. Ted and company source their whiskey from an undisclosed supplier (I asked but no dice) and while it’s pretty average on the entire bourbon spectrum, I think they chose their barrels very well. This is really good for a young bourbon. With a few more years on it I think it could really stand out.
Rating: Average

We would like to thank Ted Pappas for providing us with review samples.

Old Grand-Dad Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
43% ABV/86 Proof
$13 to $15
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
Old Grand-Dad was a distiller named Basil Hayden who made his name by distilling a bourbon whiskey made with a higher percentage of rye. Basil Hayden passed along the art of distilling to his son and then, in turn, to his grandson. It was the third generation distiller, Colonel R.B. Hayden, who honored his grandfather by naming his justly famed
whiskey “Old Grand-Dad.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Caramel, wildflowers, corn, and black tea.
Palate: Sweet and mellow at first, then you run into a distinct rye spiciness.
Finish: Heavy on the spicy rye.
Comments: Old Grand Dad isn’t your typical bottom shelf old bourbon brand. It’s quite a bit better than Old Crow, Rebel Yell, and all those other “old redneck” bourbons you might sneer at when picking up the latest “master distiller’s” whatever. If you want to know what “rye spiciness” is in a bourbon when you see it written then pick up a bottle of this and you’ll find out. In cocktail, on the rocks, or straight up…I’ll take an Old Grand Dad whenever it’s offered.
Rating: Average