If you’re a whiskey fan who pines for bourbon the way they used to make it, Wild Turkey has some good news for you.
Launched on Tuesday, the Gold Foil Edition is the debut release from the Kentucky distillery’s new Austin Nichols Archives Collection. This limited-edition annual series commemorates “the most coveted vintage bottles in Wild Turkey’s storied history.” The larger collection is named after the wholesale grocer-turned-liquor distributor that helped create the Wild Turkey brand in the 1940s.
Now, these are not actual dusty bottles from the 1980s or ‘90s; consider this 16-year-old, 120-proof release more of an homage to those whiskeys, which were known by fans as “Cheesy Gold Foil” (due to the gold foil lining that adorned those older bottles).
The new series is led by Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell, who wanted to honor his grandfather (Master Distiller Jimmy Russell) with a line of bourbons that would reimagine classic bottlings through a modern lens. It follows the recent ending of the distillery’s beloved Master’s Keep collection.
What made those vintage bourbons so beloved? Because bourbon was out of favor at the time, inventory wasn’t an issue. So Jimmy Russell often blended older barrels into standard bottlings, creating whiskey with more depth and character — and a characteristic that older whiskey fans called “mature oak funk”.
While not a replica, the new Gold Foil release does feature a longer aging process and a higher proof than the typical Wild Turkey release. The non-chill-filtered bourbon was crafted from barrels sourced from Wild Turkey’s Camp Nelson F, D and E rickhouses — and considering how seriously the distillery takes its rickhouse barrel locations (their Russell’s Reserve line has bourbon dedicated to whiskey extracted from specific warehouses), this is an appreciated detail for dedicated Wild Turkey fans.
As for the liquid, it’s wonderful. Cherry cola, orange zest, caramel, cloves, honey and a nice amount of wood spice are in play here. If “mature oak funk” is supposed to denote a modest peppery barrel note that’s present but doesn’t dominate, that’s exactly what the new Wild Turkey release accomplishes.
The Wild Turkey Austin Nichols Archives Gold Foil Edition is available in limited quantities in select markets starting now for a suggested retail price of $400.
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