|
By: David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 5/30/2023 | Send Email
The Kentucky Spirit hangs back in the shadow of the WT portfolio, eclipsed in prominence by the Russell's single barrel picks. One thing I love about the standard Kentucky Spirits releases is they include a lot more information than a standard bottle of Russell's. While our store picks include rick, warehouse and bottling info, the regular Russell's Single Barrel does not. So while people will go nuts for a single barrel of Russell's, I'm sitting here with a bottle of Kentucky Spirit and no one seems to be the wiser. Bottled at a lovely 101 proof, these single barrels should be on every taters list of must grabs. Here we go!!! A beautiful nose of mature Turkey nose of sweet roasted oak, charred herbs, and honey candies. With time and air this guy starts to get pretty darn complex, bringing in some charred peaches, fresh cinnamon sticks, aged tobacco. On the palate, it really open and surprisingly fresh, softer and way off the big kickin' cinnamon that some WT lovers want. Instead it's really candied and sweet only turning up the heat on the finish after a few sips. Then we're reminded it's Turkey after all. Just really damned good whisky. You can count on that.
|
|
By: Adrian Gomez | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 5/14/2023 | Send Email
I was excited to get to try this Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit and it certainly delivered. Layered notes of caramel, vanilla and raisin front and center followed by subtle hints of raspberry, currant and dried apricot mingled together. The flavor bomb continues on the palate with white peach, cinnamon and currant that opens up to orange citrus and light oaky tones to help round out the sweetness. The medium finish brings more orange citrus with a lite bite of black pepper and oak on the back that doesn’t over stay its welcome. This single barrel came to play and is a great addition to the bar top.
|
|
By: Neal Fischer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 5/13/2023 | Send Email
Wild Turkey has long been a favorite of mine, and I mean that for their whole lineup from the regular ole 101 to their more premium expressions. In my opinion, the Kentucky Spirit single barrel selections hit such a sweetspot of affordability and complexity. In our world-gone-mad where Bourbon prices regularly climb above $100 regardless of quality, Kentucky Spirit is there to remind us all that you can get something great at an approachable price point. The barrel I'm currently enjoying (#2386) has a nose packed with polished oak, medium caramel, and vanilla Italian soda. The spice gravitates toward level-handed cinnamon candies then shifts in a much more herbal direction, plus some very nice dark fruit notes like plum and blackberry. The palate is loaded with sweet corn, dark drizzly caramel, slight menthol, and much more pronounced fruit. The texture is a standout feature - as soon as it passes the lips you can tell how round and full this Bourbon is, and the longer that you hold it on the tongue the more viscous it gets. Towards the end, there's more sweet corn notes, chewy vanilla nougat, and candied almonds.
|
|
By: Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 5/13/2023 | Send Email
A fresh shipment of Kentucky Spirit just arrived after a long absence from our shelves. It's amazing to compare the quality of this old stalwart to most of the NDP whiskies being released for two or three times the price. There simply isn't a fair comparison - this blows them out of the water on every level. Tasted from barrel #2386 - bottled on 3-1-23, rested 30 minutes in glass: A powerful aroma lifts straight out of the glass - honey, toasted nuts, butterscotch, vanilla, cinnamon, Werther's Original hard candies, roasted corn, and cracked black pepper. On the palate it's surprisingly sweet yet never cloying. The respectable 101 proof gives it enough heat to stand up to all of that sweetness. It is both mouth coating and mouth watering at the same time. A little more maple than honey on the palate compared to the nose, great cut, marzipan, sweet style corn bread, green apple skins, and Dr. Pepper. The finish is perfectly balanced with just the right amount of burn to remind you you're drinkin the Kickin' Chicken, but better.
|
|
By: Gary Westby | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 10/29/2013 | Send Email
The Cognac of Bourbon, this round, mellow, rich Wild Turkey is full of class and elegance. A fabulous sipping whiskey, I found this single barrel to be seamless in every way. If you are looking for a showy, high octane drink this is not it, but if you want something gentlemanly and complex, you have found it!
|
|
