Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Review

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Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit – Straight Bourbon
Single Barrel – Barrel #17-295
Bottled on June 6th, 2017
101 Proof
$60

I wanted to kick off The Whiskey to Life with a review of one of my most beloved straight bourbons, Wild Turkey’s Kentucky Spirit.  Why? Balance.

Kentucky Spirit could be the perfect expression of balanced whiskey. It is at once simple and complex, sweet and spicy, bold yet smooth. It shouldn’t be so easy to sip at 50.5% ABV, and yet… it is.

Of course, sometimes I don’t want balance in my spirits. Sometimes I want a bold rye, an overtly sweet bourbon, a port-finished blend, or an over-proofed kick in the mouth. If I’m undecided or simply want the best of all worlds, I go for the Kentucky Spirit.

For my palate, I am pre-disposed to enjoy Wild Turkey whiskeys. Their predilection for rye-forward mashbills in their bourbons paired with their use of Char #4, or “alligator char” in their barrels is the driving force behind the deft balance I find in each bottle. The high-level of char, a 55-second burn, physically peels off layers of wood from inside each barrel, giving the whiskey inside more surface area to interact with the oak and the char itself. More surface area, in general terms, equals more flavor extracted. That lends itself to both more of that smoky flavor and more vanilla and butterscotch notes, allowing the spicy and woody bold notes to contrast with the sweeter sugar notes pulled from the burning process itself. Balance.

For under $60, Kentucky Spirit is the best expression of the Wild Turkey ethos. The nose is sweet and citrusy, with hints of leather, oak and nuts. There is a “fresh” quality to the nose, coming from those citrus notes. This isn’t a “punch in the face” whiskey at all, and the nose tells you that instantly. Impressive at 101 proof.   
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As it should be, the palate follows suit. Simple on the first sip, with deep complexities opening up on a second taste. Subtly sweet at first, you may initially notice the caramel, vanilla, orange and light spice notes. Those fade into a balanced grain flavor, with corn and rye equally present, and delightfully so. Hints of leather, oak and almonds drive the finish. It’s a symphony of equilibrium. Sweet, bold, spicy, easy, complex. All in equal measures.

The aftertaste is lighter than you’d expect from a barrel proof straight bourbon. Kentucky Spirit leaves just the right amount of oak and brown sugar on your palate, a memory you can taste in real time.

 In the end, as the beginning, this whiskey sings a song of balance. This is an incredible value at MSRP, buy it if you find it, or don’t and leave the rest for me!
The Whiskey to Life Rating:
5 Pours 

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