It took me a while to warm up to WT 101 but it's definitely a staple for me now. I'm generally a proof hound - not for proofs sake but for flavor. After a sinus surgery I never regained the same sensitivity to smell and taste. And sometimes I want something lighter and WT 101 still has enough flavor come through for me at a nice price point.
This was one of the dozen bottles I took on vacation (2 months on an island, totally off grid). Also took Turkey 101 rye and Rare Breed. The 101 products are excellent mixers, make great old fashions and Sazeracs respectively.
The first time I tried 101 I didn’t like it because I only tasted the rye spice and the “funk”. I then discovered Russell’s 10 and even Rare Breed and considered 101 their “low end” product. I tried it again recently and was pleasantly surprised. I consider this a great decanter bourbon - has enough classic flavor, a heritage distillery, good proof, high availability, and strong value - any seasoned bourbon enthusiast should like it and any newbie would see it as a solid introduction. And it doesn’t break the bank or require ridiculous secondary pricing or allocation lines. Great video as always!
Good call on the decanter choice. It’s a good bottle for it too as there are so many preconceived negative notions that removing the label by way of a decanter can elevate the experience.
"Batch drift." Thank you because I was looking for a term to describe what happens with WT101 or ECPrivate Barrel or Pikesville or anything. My faves are generally aways my faves, but different bottles can be more or less desirable to my palate based on myriad factors, some in the bottle and some in my mouth. That's what makes this hobby so nuanced and discussable. And I agree with you that WT101 is dependable, approachable, likeable -- the girl-next-door of bourbons.
WT101 and OF100 are different enough to keep them both on hand at all times. Unfortunately, both are now $53 a handle in my area. When I feel like drinking something a little lighter, I go with the EW 1783 SB, which is $40 a handle. Great deal since the 750ml is now $25.
I just picked up a 1.75 with the old label on it last Thursday & it definitely comes off much sweeter & bolder in flavor then the newer bottles with the embossed label. Maybe there’s just older whiskey in some of those bottles. I could be mistaken but I’ll always have 101 on my bar top. Cheers 🥃
I'm fairly new to your channel. It's fun to watch the videos on the "hard to get" bottles, but I think you guys, and the whiskey tube community in general, do a great job covering a wide range of stuff. Wife and I enjoy WT 101 in mixed drinks and neat. Thanks for the video. Cheers
Josh you are right on with using Wild Turkey 101 as a baseline. If it tatse the way it should you can safely move on to other pours that may be more costly and what not.
Excellent and well done break down of WT101. Subscribed and love how deep a dive you guys took on one of my favorite whiskeys. I began my bourbon/whiskey journey with the famous JD No. 7 which is a whiskey anyone starting out would find desirable. 81 proof WT is just as good but slightly different with a bit higher rye. I was not crazy about the 81 proof and went with the 101 and I found myself hooked. I love how smooth it is at the first sip. A quick swoosh gives you a full sensory load of sweetness, oak and caramel. I love the scent of sweetness on the nose. I smell a sugary syrup-type smell with a hefty burn that clears any congestion lol. The swoosh is smooth and then the back end is where the spiciness kicks in. Amazing drink.
Recently switched from buying 750 mls to 1.75 because its just always an outstanding pour. If my latest purchase isn't something I quite vibed with, wild turkey 101 is always there to make sure my night ends on a high note.
For the money, WT101 packs a heck of a punch. Unfortunately the punch/burn in the finish kills me. I actually get like a heartburn feeling. Now Russell Reserve 10 year to me was a smooth yet very favorable alternative to WT101. More expensive, but worth it. Regards!
There is definitely a change in taste recently, with the 101. It seems thinner in flavour than in previous bottlings. Conversely, EW BIB has increased notably in flavour and was far more enjoyable neat, than the 101 that I bought recently.
I just finished a bottle of Evan Williams bib and just tried wild turkey 101. I agree with you on first impressions. But I am just getting into bourbon
why is that though ...did wild turkey change their mashibill?...(which they would have had to have done so 8 years ago to put into the barrels back then for the new bottles with the new labels for today)
@@tweevers2 It's hard to say. I would imagine it's just down to different barrels, from different locations within their rack houses. Different locations will provide different results, even though the juice was identical, going in.
Shocker!?!? Great vid. Wt101 is the value king! Ks rb and rrsps are all in my fav bottle rotation and wt101 is the best for non bourbon lovers or mixer. Great neat or on the rocks too.
I'm not a mixer so everything I but is for next consumption and this and the rare breed are high in my list as is Russell's 10 and single barrels. So yes I'm a Wild Turkey fan! Enjoy!!
For the value--for the taste--wild turkey is my daily pour. I like to have some other "value" bourbon as a side kick with the 101. First time watching this channel. I will watch again just to see the babe on the screen again. Wow!
Big fan of WT 101, a great daily sipper that everyone should have on hand. Those who agree, should try a bottle of Wheel Horse, which in my opinion, edges out the WT 101, which I attribute to the higher rye content in the mash. Cheers!
Ya…this is my go to. My other cheaper ones are Evan Williams BIB, OG BIB, Early Times (because if you two) Buffalo Trace and my new favorite Old Tub…highly recommend.
Man, I love this Bourbon with Crystal Light sweet tea. Hammer me all you want, and I dont combine them, but I love to drink WT 101 while sipping on Crystal Light Sweet Tea. It just works.
Good review! I agree on all points, especially the "drift" comment. This one has ranked high on my list since the beginning. All other bourbons have to pass the Wild Turkey 101 test. If it's at least that good, it's good bourbon. Period. Now if only we could convince the ones that overdid it on WT101 when they were young...Remember the Kickin' Chicken comment from way back?
Definitely a baseline Whiskey for me. WT101, Rare Breed, OF 1910 & 1920, RedBreast 12yr CS, Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend, Pikesville Rye, Redemption Rye, JD SB/BP, ECBP are all baselines for me when buying other bottles. Good review, a bottle that should be talked about.
I never risk running out of WT101; when the current handle gets down to about 1/3, I get another. +/- $40.00 for 1.75L of really good bourbon is proof you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg to get good whiskey. Like another commenter here, I’ve found that Old Forester 100 is also a great bargain. And off topic, WT101 and OF 100 ryes are also must-haves.
I've got two 1.75s and a 750 of WT101 on hand as well as two Rare Breed Bourbons a Russell's single barrel, a Russell's 10 yr and a Rare Breed Rye. I guess I like Wild Turkey.
I like Wild Turkey products but gravitate towards the higher end ones. If in a bar with a limited list, I might order it but I do not keep a bottle at home. I just find the flavor thin. Maybe it is the proof but I have other 100 proof bottles that taste better. For my budget sippers, I prefer the Benchmark line. Similar prices but better flavor IMO.
I would absolutely consider WT 101 a staple in my bar for old fashioned’s alone… of course I don’t have any of it right now… might have something to do with the fact that it’s fantastic straight up as well!!!
I tried it for the first time last night. 3 shots on ice sipped. Really enjoyed the feeling I thought wow this stuff is good. However I woke up not feeling very good and I don’t get that with makers mark. So idk if it was the wild turkey making me feel off so I will try it again and see
It’s good stuff but a solid 11 proofs points higher than Maker’s so definitely a good idea to cut the quantity a bit as it’ll hit you a little harder if you’re not careful.
I was a hater for quite a while due to bad experiences with WT81. Now it's nearly always on my shelf after consistently doing well in blinds with more expensive bottles: McKenna 10 year, Knob Creek, 1792 BiB, EH Taylor small batch, Cooper's Craft
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Love turkey 101. Hands down my everday sipper. Im heading to Uncle Nearest this weekend since its right down the road from me. Have yall every been to the distillery?
I also always have a bottle of WT101 on hand BUT I only buy it maybe twice a year but there are dozen or so I also keep on hand but I go through them a lot faster. Still, it's hard to find a better value at its proof.
So enjoy your channel guys. WT is a foundation bottle on any bar. I find myself going on little journeys in whiskey families and price points and always come back to WT to center up. Your descriptive tasting notes are just excellent. Thanks for doing the work👊
I have designated a portion of my liquor collection to be the "well" - this is where I put basic, inexpensive bottles to be used as mixers or for rocks pours. Currently, Wild Turkey 101, Jim Beam black label, and Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 represent the bourbon category there. Out of these, I find Wild Turkey 101 to be the most versatile, as it also works well as a neat pour, while the other two are a bit on the simple side for that purpose. Wild Turkey 101 has to be one of the best values out there, and I wonder how they keep the price so low. It usually costs me $60 or so to get a Scotch whisky of comparable quality and complexity. Looking through the comments here, I see that people's impressions of this bourbon are overwhelmingly positive. No surprises there.
Love my Wild Turkey. True story - when I was in college, all I ever drank in the bars was Wild Turkey. Never drank beer. 45 years later, as I'm watching this video, I'm drinking Russell's single barrel.
Unless the juice has radically changed in the past couple of months since my last bottle ran out, it *is* worth buying. The only thing that's kept me from replacing that previous bottle is the budget - I can't afford to keep everything on hand simultaneously, so I have to replace things as I can. 2:48 Erin somehow doesn't look like Warrant. 😂 3:40 I've gotten to the point where I never review a whiskey on the first glass. I wait till the second glass, and sometimes the third. My palate might change, and the whiskey might change, so I want to let it all settle down.
We gotcha. Key light is amzn.to/3sGIkR1 and we use bounce for fill. We use amzn.to/3Z5oTgU for a hair light and some amzn.to/3R7TE2G for the background and practicals.
The old bottle and the newer bottles taste different. Its 2024 and I've been lucky enough to find a few older label bottles on the shelves in Michigan and i love those a little more. But 101 is a staple
I like the back story behind the WT 101. It is said the Jimmy Russell use to take it with him when he was go on hunting trips. All the other guys that he hunted with loved it and began to look forward to having it. There is more to the story as Jimmy tells it but you can get the jist …. 😅😂 Oh and it’s the one bottle I always have in my cabinet and with me when I travel. Truly my everyday sipper. ❤️👍
I've been a huge WT101 fan for a very long time, but recently my local store was out of stock so I grabbed an Old Forester 100 and it's also fantastic! (although slightly more expensive - it's still well within my range of acceptable for a budget/workhorse bottle). Now I find myself grabbing one of each because I get conflicted.
We both prefer Rare Breed by quite a bit. It's got more age, better blending and consistency, and despite the price difference Rare Breed can easily be watered down to ~101 proof if you want a more approachable sip on any given night. That said, the real benefit to WT101 for us is being able to buy a 1.75L handle for ~$40 and being able to use it as a good warm-up sip as well as it being a high quality cocktail mixer (which we don't usually use Rare Breed for cocktails).
I love Wild Turkey 101 ("The Bird"). It's definitely worth the money. Dual purpose...sipper or mixer. Sipping WT Rare Breed right now. Love the content y'all make❤❤
Really depends on your area. In my local market for instance, BT, ET BiB, Benchmark FP & OGD 114 have almost identical prices to WT 101 at around 19-21 dollar range. Personally would pass on WT 101 when I could get BT or OGD 114 (better than WT 101 imo)for the basically the same price 😅
Something that is never talked about is that these changes in 'new whiskey batches' might be do to that basically nobody uses real/normal/old growth wood for things anymore.Pracitcally everything wood is tree farmed 'fast growth' wood ...unless usually specified, and of course an upcharge is applied to 'old growth' woods and only certain quantities are allowed to be used of it for things now. So all these whiskey barrels are probably fast growth tree farmed wood, which have a different density and growth ring to them which probably affects the whiskey in different ways then how it did with standard normal growth wood barrels .....just a thought.
I used to keep it around all the time, but I don't anymore. I almost always have Kentucky Spirit around, and given the choice I'll always choose the the Kentucky Spirit over the regular 101. As I've gone further along with bourbon and other spirits, I don't really care as much about value. About the cheapest things I keep around always are Makers's 46 because my wife likes it in cocktails and OGD 114 because I like it in cocktails. I also have no issues using spirits in a cocktail that most people would think would be too good to mix. But the way I see it, if I'm willing to mix Green Chartreuse and it's $100 a bottle, why can't I mix with an expensive bourbon, rum or tequila? While the bottle price of 101 versus Kentucky Spirit or Rare Breed seems steep, on a pour basis it's more like $3-$4. I feel like it's worth the upgrade at that price.
I waited till I could pour a WT 101 and watch along, and I am with the top showing comment…I am leaving this while the opening ad is paused…for oldtimers, I think we can predict where this one is going. I doubt I will need to edit or comment on my comment.
I like Wild Turkey just fine, but i’ve always felt that it’s appropriate that it has the word Wild in it. Because it has a very wild flavor. The rye content is fairly high so it’s quite peppery, and the barrels have a #4 char so it’s quite sweet. Two extremes that kind of balance each other out, but it’s not a very full-bodied bourbon like Maker’s Mark or Elijah Craig.
LPT: Every bar has it :) I discovered this early in my bourbon journey that you could always rely on it being an option and it's always cheap! They never try to upsell it like regular Woodford Reserve and I'd take WT101 all day over that.
So hard to hit the thumbs up button, when If you do, you see an UNLIKE.... Well I do like.............Usually drink Wild Turkey 101 Rye but on New Years I had some Wild Turkey Bourbon.... And I liked it just as much..
This is one of those posts made before even a moment of video is watched. Yes! Definitely. I saw WT 101 for $18.99 at a growing store less than a month ago. I didn't buy it because I have 2 handles already!
One of the most balance bourbons I’ve ever drank, I’m new to bourbon and I thought I wouldn’t be able to handle the proof, but I just add a little ice and it’s fine.
I can see how it would works as a baseline. Personally it sits in my cupboard untouched. I have a lot of better bottles to drink. I don't want 100s of bottles in my house so I limit myself to 50 bottles that I rotate through. I don't have a lot of bottom shelf bourbons because I rather reward myself when I have a drink instead of punish myself.
Alrighty then...let's go...WT101. Your costs are very close to mine. I don't get funk/stinky feet. @2:47 = S&W Karaoke! Side note - I obtained two of the old school WT101 bottles earlier this year, I don't know why I think this is neat but I do. I'm with you guys and I really like WT101 but I still can't get the aromas or flavors you professionals can. I like it but I still can't describe it.
@@stuffandwhiskey You say you aren't pros but I Googled "Whiskey Tasting Pros" and there was S&W! AND in the Images tab...I swear that was Josh karoke-ing to...never mind...Seriously, love your videos and opinions!
I thought the smell of alcohol was more intense than I was expecting and it made me not able to keep my nose stuck in the tasting glass for more than 2 seconds, which prevented me from actually feeling the aromas properly. Not so much in the taste and mouthfeel, but the kind of alcohol that bothers was very pronounced on the smell. I am not so used to Whiskies higher than 92 proof, but the alcohol feel was to upfront to think that it blends well with the rest of tastes and aromas. Am I the only one who feel this drinking WT 101?
If you're used to lower proof stuff then we can definitely see that reaction. It's all in what you're accustom to sipping. Holding the glass further away from your nose on higher proof pours can help, but really it's all acclimation over time. Enjoy the journey!
I get your argument that batch changes are unavoidable, and I agree that the change in labelling does not mean the product has to change. But don't you think that it is easier for a producer to justify a change in the product, if it also looks different. I am a big fan of WT 101 for years, and I had five bottles with different bottling dates of the new style. Only one was of comparable quality to almost all bottles I had until two years ago. I am a turkey nut, and that won't change probably, but I miss the big label 101s a lot.
That's a fair point, Charly. Batch drift is going to happen over time, but it's unlikely that's why distillers redo their labels to us (and far more likely that they just want to update the look of things to be most marketable at the time--Turkey being a great example of this by ditching the paper label with the big Turkey head on it in favor of the sleeker and more modern looking bottle they currently have).
@@stuffandwhiskey It may have been coincidence, and I don't want to impute any questionable motives to Wild Turkey either. You are strictest with those you love the most 😉 But my impression is that in this particular case, namely Turkey 101, quite a few underperforming batches have followed after the label changeover; whatever the reason for that. I don't know, you can speculate a lot, from other barrels made from different, perhaps younger wood, to barrel entry proof (OK it's been a while since the change), to climatic conditions. I cross all fingers that I have, that this changes again for the better.
For me, this is one of the few bottles that when one is gone, I immediately go out and buy a replacement. Cheers guys!
This is exactly how I feel. Best value and taste on the market. I get this for 21 - 23 dollars usually.
Same
It took me a while to warm up to WT 101 but it's definitely a staple for me now. I'm generally a proof hound - not for proofs sake but for flavor. After a sinus surgery I never regained the same sensitivity to smell and taste. And sometimes I want something lighter and WT 101 still has enough flavor come through for me at a nice price point.
I had septoplasty and lost some of my more delicate palette, this has been legendary for me, solid new fave.
I haven't watched this video yet but I'm going to say yes it is worth it and to prove it I bought 2 bottles last month!
Lol. I bought four bottles that last couple weeks! I'm really loving the WT101.
This was one of the dozen bottles I took on vacation (2 months on an island, totally off grid). Also took Turkey 101 rye and Rare Breed. The 101 products are excellent mixers, make great old fashions and Sazeracs respectively.
The first time I tried 101 I didn’t like it because I only tasted the rye spice and the “funk”. I then discovered Russell’s 10 and even Rare Breed and considered 101 their “low end” product. I tried it again recently and was pleasantly surprised. I consider this a great decanter bourbon - has enough classic flavor, a heritage distillery, good proof, high availability, and strong value - any seasoned bourbon enthusiast should like it and any newbie would see it as a solid introduction. And it doesn’t break the bank or require ridiculous secondary pricing or allocation lines. Great video as always!
Good call on the decanter choice. It’s a good bottle for it too as there are so many preconceived negative notions that removing the label by way of a decanter can elevate the experience.
Up here in Canada, we pay about $42 for a 750 ml bottle of 101. And IMHO, it is an outstanding value. Always have a bottle on my shelf.
"Batch drift." Thank you because I was looking for a term to describe what happens with WT101 or ECPrivate Barrel or Pikesville or anything. My faves are generally aways my faves, but different bottles can be more or less desirable to my palate based on myriad factors, some in the bottle and some in my mouth. That's what makes this hobby so nuanced and discussable. And I agree with you that WT101 is dependable, approachable, likeable -- the girl-next-door of bourbons.
I always have a bottle. One of the most versatile whiskeys.
I love Wild Turkey products across the spectrum, but my favorite has to be the Russell's Reserve Single Barrel. It just drinks so we'll!
Got to give Russell's Reserve SB a try. That's one I need to try next.
WT101 and OF100 are different enough to keep them both on hand at all times. Unfortunately, both are now $53 a handle in my area. When I feel like drinking something a little lighter, I go with the EW 1783 SB, which is $40 a handle. Great deal since the 750ml is now $25.
I love Wild Turkey 101. I get Morello cherry. There are certain cocktails that I only use this.
I just picked up a 1.75 with the old label on it last Thursday & it definitely comes off much sweeter & bolder in flavor then the newer bottles with the embossed label. Maybe there’s just older whiskey in some of those bottles. I could be mistaken but I’ll always have 101 on my bar top. Cheers 🥃
I'm fairly new to your channel. It's fun to watch the videos on the "hard to get" bottles, but I think you guys, and the whiskey tube community in general, do a great job covering a wide range of stuff. Wife and I enjoy WT 101 in mixed drinks and neat. Thanks for the video. Cheers
Silly premise, but I love the basic info for newbies, I've been in whiskey for 6 months and it was very helpful. You 2 rock.
Josh you are right on with using Wild Turkey 101 as a baseline. If it tatse the way it should you can safely move on to other pours that may be more costly and what not.
Excellent and well done break down of WT101. Subscribed and love how deep a dive you guys took on one of my favorite whiskeys. I began my bourbon/whiskey journey with the famous JD No. 7 which is a whiskey anyone starting out would find desirable. 81 proof WT is just as good but slightly different with a bit higher rye. I was not crazy about the 81 proof and went with the 101 and I found myself hooked. I love how smooth it is at the first sip. A quick swoosh gives you a full sensory load of sweetness, oak and caramel. I love the scent of sweetness on the nose. I smell a sugary syrup-type smell with a hefty burn that clears any congestion lol. The swoosh is smooth and then the back end is where the spiciness kicks in. Amazing drink.
I get a 1.75 L for $50 in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. This bourbon is great. It brings heat, taste, and it's 101 Proof. It's one of my go to whiskeys.
Recently switched from buying 750 mls to 1.75 because its just always an outstanding pour. If my latest purchase isn't something I quite vibed with, wild turkey 101 is always there to make sure my night ends on a high note.
For the money, WT101 packs a heck of a punch. Unfortunately the punch/burn in the finish kills me. I actually get like a heartburn feeling. Now Russell Reserve 10 year to me was a smooth yet very favorable alternative to WT101. More expensive, but worth it. Regards!
Same for me - I go back and forth between WT101 and Russel Reserve 10 year
@@bobbour9870 Good call, Russels 10 year and Knob Creek 9 are much creamier and leave my taste buds much more satisfied by the end of the night.
There is definitely a change in taste recently, with the 101. It seems thinner in flavour than in previous bottlings. Conversely, EW BIB has increased notably in flavour and was far more enjoyable neat, than the 101 that I bought recently.
I just finished a bottle of Evan Williams bib and just tried wild turkey 101. I agree with you on first impressions. But I am just getting into bourbon
why is that though ...did wild turkey change their mashibill?...(which they would have had to have done so 8 years ago to put into the barrels back then for the new bottles with the new labels for today)
@@tweevers2 It's hard to say. I would imagine it's just down to different barrels, from different locations within their rack houses. Different locations will provide different results, even though the juice was identical, going in.
Shocker!?!? Great vid. Wt101 is the value king! Ks rb and rrsps are all in my fav bottle rotation and wt101 is the best for non bourbon lovers or mixer. Great neat or on the rocks too.
I always keep a handle of 101 on the shelf. Nice video. Thank you.
This is the bottle that I always have, other bottles come and go. I always have WT101
I'm not a mixer so everything I but is for next consumption and this and the rare breed are high in my list as is Russell's 10 and single barrels. So yes I'm a Wild Turkey fan! Enjoy!!
Wild Turkey products are a constant in my whiskey rotation. Great whiskey. Cheers
For the value--for the taste--wild turkey is my daily pour. I like to have some other "value" bourbon as a side kick with the 101. First time watching this channel. I will watch again just to see the babe on the screen again. Wow!
Big fan of WT 101, a great daily sipper that everyone should have on hand. Those who agree, should try a bottle of Wheel Horse, which in my opinion, edges out the WT 101, which I attribute to the higher rye content in the mash. Cheers!
Ya…this is my go to. My other cheaper ones are Evan Williams BIB, OG BIB, Early Times (because if you two) Buffalo Trace and my new favorite Old Tub…highly recommend.
Man, I love this Bourbon with Crystal Light sweet tea. Hammer me all you want, and I dont combine them, but I love to drink WT 101 while sipping on Crystal Light Sweet Tea. It just works.
Good review! I agree on all points, especially the "drift" comment. This one has ranked high on my list since the beginning. All other bourbons have to pass the Wild Turkey 101 test. If it's at least that good, it's good bourbon. Period. Now if only we could convince the ones that overdid it on WT101 when they were young...Remember the Kickin' Chicken comment from way back?
Definitely a baseline Whiskey for me. WT101, Rare Breed, OF 1910 & 1920, RedBreast 12yr CS, Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend, Pikesville Rye, Redemption Rye, JD SB/BP, ECBP are all baselines for me when buying other bottles. Good review, a bottle that should be talked about.
This is a bottle I keep replacing on the bar. I may back off of it for a month or two but always go back. Good stuff for the price.
I never risk running out of WT101; when the current handle gets down to about 1/3, I get another. +/- $40.00 for 1.75L of really good bourbon is proof you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg to get good whiskey. Like another commenter here, I’ve found that Old Forester 100 is also a great bargain. And off topic, WT101 and OF 100 ryes are also must-haves.
I like to use wild turkey 101 to make citrusy type cocktails like whiskey, lemonade, and ginger beer.
I've got two 1.75s and a 750 of WT101 on hand as well as two Rare Breed Bourbons a Russell's single barrel, a Russell's 10 yr and a Rare Breed Rye. I guess I like Wild Turkey.
In Turkey we trust!
I like Wild Turkey products but gravitate towards the higher end ones. If in a bar with a limited list, I might order it but I do not keep a bottle at home. I just find the flavor thin. Maybe it is the proof but I have other 100 proof bottles that taste better. For my budget sippers, I prefer the Benchmark line. Similar prices but better flavor IMO.
Good job as always. It’s awesome to have an inexpensive delicious bottle to sip on to save the expensive ones longer! 😊
I would absolutely consider WT 101 a staple in my bar for old fashioned’s alone… of course I don’t have any of it right now… might have something to do with the fact that it’s fantastic straight up as well!!!
I tried it for the first time last night. 3 shots on ice sipped. Really enjoyed the feeling I thought wow this stuff is good. However I woke up not feeling very good and I don’t get that with makers mark. So idk if it was the wild turkey making me feel off so I will try it again and see
It’s good stuff but a solid 11 proofs points higher than Maker’s so definitely a good idea to cut the quantity a bit as it’ll hit you a little harder if you’re not careful.
I was a hater for quite a while due to bad experiences with WT81. Now it's nearly always on my shelf after consistently doing well in blinds with more expensive bottles: McKenna 10 year, Knob Creek, 1792 BiB, EH Taylor small batch, Cooper's Craft
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Love turkey 101. Hands down my everday sipper. Im heading to Uncle Nearest this weekend since its right down the road from me. Have yall every been to the distillery?
We’ve driven by but never stopped into Uncle Nearest. We definitely need to fix that!
I also always have a bottle of WT101 on hand BUT I only buy it maybe twice a year but there are dozen or so I also keep on hand but I go through them a lot faster. Still, it's hard to find a better value at its proof.
This is a great bottle for mixers..the wife love this in her whiskey sours…that 101 holds up great n the mix!
So enjoy your channel guys. WT is a foundation bottle on any bar. I find myself going on little journeys in whiskey families and price points and always come back to WT to center up. Your descriptive tasting notes are just excellent. Thanks for doing the work👊
Thanks so much for the kind words Mark! Cheers!
I’ve been doing a 50/50 blend of WT101 and EW “Fire”. Adds a little cinnamon to the 101 and lessens the sweetness of EW “Fire”. Loving it👍
For me it's a jack of all trades type of bottle. Inexpensive and versatile. So that alone makes it worth buying.
I have designated a portion of my liquor collection to be the "well" - this is where I put basic, inexpensive bottles to be used as mixers or for rocks pours. Currently, Wild Turkey 101, Jim Beam black label, and Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 represent the bourbon category there. Out of these, I find Wild Turkey 101 to be the most versatile, as it also works well as a neat pour, while the other two are a bit on the simple side for that purpose. Wild Turkey 101 has to be one of the best values out there, and I wonder how they keep the price so low. It usually costs me $60 or so to get a Scotch whisky of comparable quality and complexity. Looking through the comments here, I see that people's impressions of this bourbon are overwhelmingly positive. No surprises there.
WT101 is my everyday pour if I'm wanting to sip it over ice or mix it. It's not a great neat pour, though.
Love my Wild Turkey. True story - when I was in college, all I ever drank in the bars was Wild Turkey. Never drank beer. 45 years later, as I'm watching this video, I'm drinking Russell's single barrel.
Unless the juice has radically changed in the past couple of months since my last bottle ran out, it *is* worth buying. The only thing that's kept me from replacing that previous bottle is the budget - I can't afford to keep everything on hand simultaneously, so I have to replace things as I can.
2:48 Erin somehow doesn't look like Warrant. 😂
3:40 I've gotten to the point where I never review a whiskey on the first glass. I wait till the second glass, and sometimes the third. My palate might change, and the whiskey might change, so I want to let it all settle down.
But that actually means they would had to have changed something 8 years back because WT101 is 8 year old barrels.
What studio lights do you use? Do you have an affiliate link?
We gotcha. Key light is amzn.to/3sGIkR1 and we use bounce for fill. We use amzn.to/3Z5oTgU for a hair light and some amzn.to/3R7TE2G for the background and practicals.
The old bottle and the newer bottles taste different. Its 2024 and I've been lucky enough to find a few older label bottles on the shelves in Michigan and i love those a little more. But 101 is a staple
Great bottle and price. I look forward to your videos, keep up the great work.
one of my favorite low cost bourbons. Always try to keep a bottle on hand but it keeps disappearing, LOL
Agree with y’all, enjoy WT 101, great value bottle, opened my mind to trying some “budget” bottled in bond bourbons.
Early Times BIB is the GOAT…..~$25 for a full liter….destroys all “budget” BIB bottles
Yep, usually have this in the house. The 101 Rye, as well.
Nearly everyone recommends WT 101. For 20 yrs a favorite of mine. The price point is amazing.
Wild Turkey 101 is a great Bourbon that makes a wonderful Manhattan and an expensive everyday sipper.
I like the back story behind the WT 101. It is said the Jimmy Russell use to take it with him when he was go on hunting trips. All the other guys that he hunted with loved it and began to look forward to having it. There is more to the story as Jimmy tells it but you can get the jist …. 😅😂
Oh and it’s the one bottle I always have in my cabinet and with me when I travel. Truly my everyday sipper. ❤️👍
I bought my bottle of 101 at Sam's club for just under $18 plus tax.... Best value in bourbon in my humble opinion.
I've been a huge WT101 fan for a very long time, but recently my local store was out of stock so I grabbed an Old Forester 100 and it's also fantastic! (although slightly more expensive - it's still well within my range of acceptable for a budget/workhorse bottle). Now I find myself grabbing one of each because I get conflicted.
How long is the "Erin" code good for Blind Barrels? I'm thinking of pulling the trigger. Thanks. Love your content. 🥃
The code will work anytime. Enjoy! We certainly have been!
Wt 101 and branch….amazing 😊
If you're not a heavy drinker, even the expensive bottles are good value. Enhance your day with only a couple dollars a day.
That’s a great point honestly!
How would you guys compare this to rare breed? I love rare breed but seeing that this is a lot cheaper I want to give this a try too.
We both prefer Rare Breed by quite a bit. It's got more age, better blending and consistency, and despite the price difference Rare Breed can easily be watered down to ~101 proof if you want a more approachable sip on any given night. That said, the real benefit to WT101 for us is being able to buy a 1.75L handle for ~$40 and being able to use it as a good warm-up sip as well as it being a high quality cocktail mixer (which we don't usually use Rare Breed for cocktails).
Just scored 6 bottles for $11 each. Walmart had their shelf mislabeled. It was supposed to be the Rye. Lucky me 😬
I love Wild Turkey 101 ("The Bird"). It's definitely worth the money. Dual purpose...sipper or mixer. Sipping WT Rare Breed right now. Love the content y'all make❤❤
WT101 is always a must buy for any bourbon fan, but when asked, I usually recommend Russell’s Reserve 10 as the extra bucks are well worth it.
Definitely a bottle I always keep around. It's an incredible value. I usually pay around 30 🦌 for a 1 liter bottle.
Really depends on your area. In my local market for instance, BT, ET BiB, Benchmark FP & OGD 114 have almost identical prices to WT 101 at around 19-21 dollar range. Personally would pass on WT 101 when I could get BT or OGD 114 (better than WT 101 imo)for the basically the same price 😅
I love WT101 so much i keep a 1.75 of it. Definitely worth buying in 2023. 🥃
Great “go to”bottle and in FL can get 1.75 for $32.99 with multi bottle discount. Can’t beat that.
Found a dusty handle of wt101 a while back. Absolutely delicious
Something that is never talked about is that these changes in 'new whiskey batches' might be do to that basically nobody uses real/normal/old growth wood for things anymore.Pracitcally everything wood is tree farmed 'fast growth' wood ...unless usually specified, and of course an upcharge is applied to 'old growth' woods and only certain quantities are allowed to be used of it for things now. So all these whiskey barrels are probably fast growth tree farmed wood, which have a different density and growth ring to them which probably affects the whiskey in different ways then how it did with standard normal growth wood barrels .....just a thought.
Have 2 minimum on my bar. $26.99 in my area....smells great, tastes great, & is 101 proof. Can't go wrong.
I used to keep it around all the time, but I don't anymore. I almost always have Kentucky Spirit around, and given the choice I'll always choose the the Kentucky Spirit over the regular 101.
As I've gone further along with bourbon and other spirits, I don't really care as much about value. About the cheapest things I keep around always are Makers's 46 because my wife likes it in cocktails and OGD 114 because I like it in cocktails. I also have no issues using spirits in a cocktail that most people would think would be too good to mix. But the way I see it, if I'm willing to mix Green Chartreuse and it's $100 a bottle, why can't I mix with an expensive bourbon, rum or tequila?
While the bottle price of 101 versus Kentucky Spirit or Rare Breed seems steep, on a pour basis it's more like $3-$4. I feel like it's worth the upgrade at that price.
“Life is short. Use the good stuff in cocktails.” Great comment!
I waited till I could pour a WT 101 and watch along, and I am with the top showing comment…I am leaving this while the opening ad is paused…for oldtimers, I think we can predict where this one is going. I doubt I will need to edit or comment on my comment.
I'm no expert on Bourbons, but everyone has their own taste, For Me Wild Turkey 101 is the best I have ever tasted!
I like Wild Turkey just fine, but i’ve always felt that it’s appropriate that it has the word Wild in it. Because it has a very wild flavor. The rye content is fairly high so it’s quite peppery, and the barrels have a #4 char so it’s quite sweet. Two extremes that kind of balance each other out, but it’s not a very full-bodied bourbon like Maker’s Mark or Elijah Craig.
LPT: Every bar has it :)
I discovered this early in my bourbon journey that you could always rely on it being an option and it's always cheap! They never try to upsell it like regular Woodford Reserve and I'd take WT101 all day over that.
100%!
So hard to hit the thumbs up button, when If you do, you see an UNLIKE.... Well I do like.............Usually drink Wild Turkey 101 Rye but on New Years I had some Wild Turkey Bourbon.... And I liked it just as much..
This is one of those posts made before even a moment of video is watched. Yes! Definitely. I saw WT 101 for $18.99 at a growing store less than a month ago. I didn't buy it because I have 2 handles already!
101 and ice is very nice. thanks. subed.
One of the most balance bourbons I’ve ever drank, I’m new to bourbon and I thought I wouldn’t be able to handle the proof, but I just add a little ice and it’s fine.
You Betya I’m drinking 101 as I watch this video.
I can see how it would works as a baseline. Personally it sits in my cupboard untouched. I have a lot of better bottles to drink. I don't want 100s of bottles in my house so I limit myself to 50 bottles that I rotate through. I don't have a lot of bottom shelf bourbons because I rather reward myself when I have a drink instead of punish myself.
Alrighty then...let's go...WT101. Your costs are very close to mine. I don't get funk/stinky feet. @2:47 = S&W Karaoke! Side note - I obtained two of the old school WT101 bottles earlier this year, I don't know why I think this is neat but I do. I'm with you guys and I really like WT101 but I still can't get the aromas or flavors you professionals can. I like it but I still can't describe it.
We’re no pros but over time the notes and flavors come by association (or maybe osmosis).
@@stuffandwhiskey You say you aren't pros but I Googled "Whiskey Tasting Pros" and there was S&W! AND in the Images tab...I swear that was Josh karoke-ing to...never mind...Seriously, love your videos and opinions!
Will there be a WTF 101 1.75L vs WTF 101 750ml blind tasting? They have to be different 😂
I thought the smell of alcohol was more intense than I was expecting and it made me not able to keep my nose stuck in the tasting glass for more than 2 seconds, which prevented me from actually feeling the aromas properly. Not so much in the taste and mouthfeel, but the kind of alcohol that bothers was very pronounced on the smell. I am not so used to Whiskies higher than 92 proof, but the alcohol feel was to upfront to think that it blends well with the rest of tastes and aromas. Am I the only one who feel this drinking WT 101?
If you're used to lower proof stuff then we can definitely see that reaction. It's all in what you're accustom to sipping. Holding the glass further away from your nose on higher proof pours can help, but really it's all acclimation over time. Enjoy the journey!
I find 101 to just be fine. I just skip it and go right to Rare Breed. The huge leap of flavor is worth it.
We’re with you there on Rare Breed. That’s our jam!
In a similar vein, I find I can spend 40% more than WT 101 (which still isn't much) and get 400% more flavor. That's a better value to me.
The last few weeks I’ve finally appreciated 101. Now I’d like to try rare breed.
Rare breed is a must if you’re a Wild Turkey fan.
@@stacyellens2874, I just got a bottle of it. I hope the Russell’s signal barrel is as good.
yeast changing over time ??
Just replaced mine. Can't run out of The Turkey!
I keep two bottles at all times.
I agree on 2 chances, except Hudson Baby bourbon, that stuff is undrinkable
An argument could easily be made that WT101 is the perfect bourbon
Can’t go wrong with the Kickin’ Chicken
Regular Buffalo trace is easy to find in my area. I prefer that over this bottle. I think that I just prefer the sweeter profile.
Has always been one of the best "bang for the buck" bottles.... imo
I get your argument that batch changes are unavoidable, and I agree that the change in labelling does not mean the product has to change. But don't you think that it is easier for a producer to justify a change in the product, if it also looks different. I am a big fan of WT 101 for years, and I had five bottles with different bottling dates of the new style. Only one was of comparable quality to almost all bottles I had until two years ago. I am a turkey nut, and that won't change probably, but I miss the big label 101s a lot.
That's a fair point, Charly. Batch drift is going to happen over time, but it's unlikely that's why distillers redo their labels to us (and far more likely that they just want to update the look of things to be most marketable at the time--Turkey being a great example of this by ditching the paper label with the big Turkey head on it in favor of the sleeker and more modern looking bottle they currently have).
@@stuffandwhiskey It may have been coincidence, and I don't want to impute any questionable motives to Wild Turkey either. You are strictest with those you love the most 😉
But my impression is that in this particular case, namely Turkey 101, quite a few underperforming batches have followed after the label changeover; whatever the reason for that. I don't know, you can speculate a lot, from other barrels made from different, perhaps younger wood, to barrel entry proof (OK it's been a while since the change), to climatic conditions. I cross all fingers that I have, that this changes again for the better.