Style: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
Age: Blend of 9, 12, 14, and 15-year-old whiskey
Proof: 120.8 (60.4% ABV)
Region: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
There are few families in the history of Kentucky bourbon as revered as the Russells. Master Distiller Jimmy Russell has been at the helm of the Wild Turkey distillery for 69 years now. He is responsible for guiding the distillery through one of the roughest patches in the industry’s history. His son and co-master distiller Eddie Russell began working at the distillery in 1981 under Jimmy’s supervision and helped expand the distillery’s output to include the Russell’s Reserve line and the Master’s Keep collection. Eddie’s son Bruce also follows in his family’s footsteps and was recently named Associate Blender for Wild Turkey, setting things up for a three-generation Russell dynasty at the distillery.
The release of Wild Turkey Generations is a momentous event for the distillery. This is the first bottle of Wild Turkey whiskey that bears the signatures of all three generations of the Russell family and it marks the first appearance of Bruce Russell’s name on a bottle. To craft this whiskey, Jimmy, Eddie, and Bruce all selected a handful of barrels that fit their ideal profile. The 9, 12, 14, and 15-year-old barrels were then blended to create Wild Turkey Generations. Is this bourbon whiskey worthy of honoring the 69-year legacy of the Russell Family?
Tasting notes
On the nose, Wild Turkey Generations is creamy and sweet with notes of cherry, apple, red-hot candy, cinnamon, and clove. On the first sip, the notes of sweet red fruit lead, but a pleasant, warm burst of black pepper and baking spice hits the mid-palate. The primary note on the finish is more freshly cracked black pepper, with a lingering roasted, barrel note that’s a bit like milk chocolate.
Final thoughts
Generations is unlike any Wild Turkey product I’ve ever tasted. It doesn’t present at all like the punchy Jimmy bourbons, like Wild Turkey 101, or Rare Breed, nor does it fit with the more approachable Russell’s Reserve profile attributed to Eddie Russell. There are elements of both styles here, but the combination of the barrels selected by all three generations of the Russell family synthesizes something completely new. For those who have an affinity for Wild Turkey’s whiskeys and the Russell family, this is a release worth splurging on.
