Wild Turkey 101 8 Year Old Bourbon marks the return of 101 brand’s age statement since it was taken off in 1992. The bourbon is a blend from a “smaller batch of barrels” than the standard Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon. Barrels are hand-selected for their characteristics and complex flavor profiles by Bruce Russell, grandson of Wild Turkey legendary master distiller Jimmy Russell.

‍‍Wild Turkey 101 8 Year Old Bourbon is a permanent line extension for the brand, and will be available alongside the standard Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon that does not have an age statement, but is said to be comprised of barrels aged for 6-8 years.

A sweet but grounded aroma greets you, putting forth scents of candy corn, warm caramel, vanilla frosting, and a touch of lemon zest. It’s light, but impactful enough thanks to additional scents of toasted oak, light clove, rye spice, and black cherry. These coalesce into an effective aroma that features a little bit for everyone: sweet and spicy, oak forward, with delicate complexity.

Like many of Wild Turkey bourbons, classic notes of caramel, vanilla and seasoned oak are the backbone of its flavor profile. Beyond them, the bourbon offers notes of graham cracker, light tobacco, and black pepper. Orange chocolate begins here and carries over into the finish creating an enjoyable bridge between parts of the sip. The bourbon’s mouthfeel is satisfying, distributing its flavors eveningly.

Rye spice and peppery oak ramp up during the bourbon’s finish keeping in line with many Wild Turkey bourbons. Cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg help round out the sip with an encroaching slightly bitter oak flavor. With layers of rye and baking spices interwoven against oak, the bourbon ends on a more energetic note.

Cue the trumpets, another major brand is bringing back an age statement. Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon lost its age statement long before the purge began to happen en masse in the mid 2010s. It was 1992 when Wild Turkey rebranded its Wild Turkey 101 8 Year Old Bourbon as Wild Turkey “Old No. 8 Brand,” and the age stated bottle became an export-only whiskey. Finally, after supply has seemingly met demand, the company, with much fanfare, has brought back an iconic age statement.

The return of the age statement to the 101 brand definitely has a noticeable effect on taste. Though it is not revolutionary (as the standard 101 Bourbon reportedly already features a blend of 6-8 year old bourbons), the 8 Year’s more curated barrel selection and smaller batch size seemingly has a noticeable effect on the end result. Compared to Wild Turkey 70th Anniversary, which dials in its barrel and warehouse selection to an even greater degree, it seems the more the Russells tinker, the better the results.

That said, the taste isn’t a revolutionary one, or even an evolutionary one for that matter. Flavors are more distinct, clean, and a touch fuller. It’s a more interesting sip compared to the standard 101 Bourbon, and is complementary to the Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Bourbon in a lot of ways. Wild Turkey bourbon typically tastes better and more distinct the older it gets, and Wild Turkey 101 8 Year is simply another step in the upward trajectory of Wild Turkey bourbons.

We’ve seen a growing number of craft distilleries come of age over the past 5 years, now featuring respectable age statements. The major Kentucky distilleries must be taking notice, as many of them are returning age statements to their bottles (or even adding some to bottles that never had them). Age, of course, doesn’t guarantee quality, as a 10 year old bourbon might taste better than a 20 year old one or a 2 year old one. Even so, a 6 year old bourbon could taste better than a 8 year old one. But age is often instinctively tied to price. The older a bourbon is, the more it costs.

Wild Turkey 101 8 Year is priced $20 more than its non-aged stated edition. That’s a considerable difference, and one many bourbon drinkers won’t necessarily feel is worth the extra cost based on taste alone. Russell’s Reserve, Wild Turkey’s sub-brand, generally focused on quality and curation, prices their 10 year old bourbon at $38, although it’s 11 proof points lower. Outside Wild Turkey, Knob Creek brought back its 9 year age statement on its standard bourbon and priced it at $35. Though Wild Turkey 101 8 Year is filling in the pricing gap left by Wild Turkey Longbranch, there’s also a good chance the market may grow into Wild Turkey 101 8 Year’s price. Right now, compared to Wild Turkey’s own offerings and their competitors, 101 8 Year’s price is pushing it, but few will be overly disappointed by it, given the decent sip it delivers.

The return of an age statement is always a reason to celebrate. Though Wild Turkey 101 8 Year Old Bourbon lost its age statement before many reading this were probably even drinking bourbon (or maybe even born for that matter), Wild Turkey distillery is one steeped in history and age statements are a big part of it.

The return of an 8 year age statement to Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon is not a transformative one, and depending on your familiarity with the brand, you might not even notice. Comparing Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon to 101 8 Year, and 70th Anniversary 8 Year, there is definitely a progression of quality and distinct characteristics that stand out between them. The question will be a personal one as to whether or not the incremental increase in quality is worth the extra cost.

Wild Turkey 101 8 Year Old Bourbon maintains what it means to be a Wild Turkey 101 bourbon. Classic notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak still dominate, but 101 8 Year offers a touch more distinction, depth, and flavor complexity. Given the pedigree of the distillery making it, it deserves a spot in every bourbon lover’s collection, just keep expectations in check.