Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel

[@davevogelsang6791]

Nice review. I bought a Kentucky Spirit early in 2023 and it sat on my shelf until early December when I cracked it open. Wow. It was fantastic. Bottled on 10/13/22. 🥃

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I'm happy you enjoyed it. I have 1 other bottle of KS. I have them both in my sample pool going up against one another. Looking forward to seeing if I'll be able to tell a difference.

[@zudosmg]

I've had Rare Breed on my shelf for awhile now and was able to score a Kentucky Spirit at the Fall Spirit Release in BC Canada. It took me a few tastings to enjoy the Rare Breed and I do like it now, so I bought the KS. I've tried it twice now and still feel the Rare Breed is a better pick for now. Based on your Scoring I would put Rare Breed @ 3.8 ish I think and the KS where you scored it.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

The more I have Rare Breed the more I enjoy it. It's such a good bottle. Cheers!

[@dane5896]

I bought it a few years back, in the old style bottle. It was excellent. I haven't had it in the current bottle.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

That would be a good comparison. Old vs New.

[@pizzawarlord9232]

I have a few Kentucky Spirits. I prefer it to the WT101. I prefer warehouse E & C. They are not store picks

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I have a store pick from Total Wine and I like the one in this review over the store pick. Although, I do have them in my bottle battle sample pool. It will be interesting to see if I can tell the difference when it comes up.

[@javieracosta3439]

Ive had several over the years but had a large gap in between pickups as a shelfer 2018 or 19 bottle just kinda fell flat (they were still asking $65 for them then) What sort of has swayed me more recently, as Im finding myself hoarding these all of a sudden, was the Russell's single barrel store picks. Especially the Camp Nelson finds which offer an atypical profile from whats expected out of most Turkey products. KY Spirit has only recently begun putting the full rickhouse locations onto its front label. I now have a CN-A (Total Wine pick that seems a little basic overall) a CN-C shelfer (The C has been torn down in recent years so this will be a rarity til a new one is built. This bottle has much more aged oak and caramels that make me wonder if this was around a 10 year or older barrel. Really wish they would throw ages into the info specs.) and a recent Camp Nelson E shelf bottle I havent quite gotten around to opening. In the end I think I have to cool my jets on picking up more of them as while they do offer an easier sipping experience, when compared to a really good Russell's single barrel that adds in more viscocity and bolder flavors, and adds the warehouse and age specs, I question why I would continue picking up a lesser version of Wild Turkey goodness. Thanks for the video!

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I am right there with you. Going forward RR singe barrel selections are the way to go. Cheers!

[@durzagon88]

Ch on the single barrels is the same rickhouse as russels. Apparently the CH warehouse distinction is sought after.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I have one other bottle of Kentucky Spirit and it's a total wine and more store pick. I'm pretty sure I like the one in this review more. The store pic is from warehouse CN A

[@josefqamar9473]

Love your job

[@whiskeyisajourney]

It's a fun job. 😜

[@mattfalk8493]

Went on a Turkey Hunt yesterday. Pasted on this but ended up with a Wild Turkey 12yr and a Wild Turkey Rare Breed non chill filtered 1L. But will pick this up next time and looking forward to do a Turkey Blind.... Cheers Peter 🥃 🍻

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I've been eyeing a wild turkey 13 on the whisky exchange for a while. I might need to pick it up and do a blind as well. Cheers!

[@mattfalk8493]

@@whiskeyisajourney Do it why the hell not, when you review I'll dram with ya 🥃🤘🥃

[@andrettski8686]

I like Rare Breed and WT101, so I very well might have grabbed this from the shelf. Thanks for review, probably saved me $.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I'm with you on the Rare Breed and 101. I much prefer them over this. Cheers!

[@BrianVaughn]

So i heard on a podcast that singles barrel selections that are under 110 proof become Kentucky Spirit. I thought it was a store pick but I don't see anything on the bottle telling me it is a store pick. Did Austin Nichols name appear on the original bottles?

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I was thinking more along the lines of recent names and signatures. I heard that Matthew McConaughey was the only other person to have his signature on a bottle. His collaboration with Wild Turkey Longbranch. Like I said in the video there might be others, but I don't know for sure.

[@FriarPop]

If you can find one from Fort Nelson, its the best bourbon under $80

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I think I've heard that from other people as well. I will keep my eye out for it. Cheers!

[@dktopgun1571]

Just bought a bottle from the warehouse CN-F today.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I hope you enjoy it. Cheers!

[@C_H_1972]

Great review. I haven’t found these to be worth it. The odds of hitting a honey barrel are low at a high cost. I’d rather have Rare Breed at a lower cost. From now on, I’d only buy a store pick of this I could try beforehand. Otherwise, it’s a pass. Cheers!

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I find myself in the same situation as you. I would rather have Rare Breed as well. Cheers.

[@terrencemcdermott5840]

I don’t have any verifiable information. But I would wager. Guess that they have certain rickhouses and floors/racks that they dedicate to the KS SiB. Then someone must taste them and remove any off profile barrels and put those into their barrel pick program. The remainder gets bottled under their standard release. I always wondered how much the Russel’s are involved in selection process though. Like are they tasting everything or does someone bring them there samples like you said just so they can put on the label that it passed their standards?

[@whiskeyisajourney]

With an operation as large as WT I'd imagine they would have samples brought to them, but I don't know. I think efficiency and convenience would outweigh the leg work.

[@ScottW4631]

I really enjoy all your review. I find your taste matches mine fairly closely I just found a Kentucky Spirit from Camp Nelson F. I heard they are supposed to be the best. Can’t wait to crack it open.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Oh wow. If you find one check back in and let us know how it is. Cheers!

[@joeappleton6849]

Great bourbon it taste like a cherry pie

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Cherry pie is good!

[@johnk7093]

Love this bottle, Mine is Bottled on 3-2-22 Warehouse K Rick 39 Barrel 1026 Cheers, my score is 7.7 out of 10, guessing yours would be 6.4 on my scale..... everyones scoring is different, just like their palate...

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I have a store pick from Total Wine that is not as good as this one. I have both matched up in my bottle battle sample. That will be interesting when it gets selected. Cheers!

[@CharleyCarey]

I bought this one last fall. I didn't love my bottle but I'm sure there can be a lot of variation between barrels.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I'm sure there is variation as well. I have two bottles. Each one I'm not very impressed with. Even with variation, I don't know if I'll be buying another bottle.

[@CharleyCarey]

Yea I feel like Rare Breed is better, higher proof, easier to find, and a bit cheaper so I'm sticking with that one.@@whiskeyisajourney

[@Abby_Normal_1969]

I do recall liking it. But the last time I had Kentucky Spirit was about 4 years ago. I haven't bought it since as the price is ~$70. I can get Rare Breed for $20 less and I like RB quite a bit more.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I'm with you. I like Rare Breed better as well.

[@JCTexanRyeGuy]

Look in state run stores. I live in Texas and we have Spec’s (Texas version of Total Wine.) bought a Kentucky spirit today for $60.

[@rhayes458]

Great review, Peter. How does this compare to just standard WT101 for you? I’m assuming similar? I’ve only ever tried the Kentucky Spirit once and it didn’t come across much different than WT101 for me. Cheers!

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I liked the 101 better. It came across as sweeter and had more depth of flavor. My sister and I did a bottle battle on the channel a few months ago and we both chose the 101.

[@markanderson8677]

Which rickhouse? Tyrone or Camp Nelson? I bought a Camp Nelson bottle and it's great. My buddy has a Tyrone rickhouse and it's average at best.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

This bottle just states warehouse F nothing about Camp Nelson or Tyrone...unless Tyrone is warehouse F.

[@stebeardX]

Love the 101 and rare breed!! would you say this is worth trying vs the other 2? cheers

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I would say everything is worth trying, but I like the other two over this one much more.

[@umami0247]

I always have a WT bottle on my counter. I don’t believe this for the price is that much better than the standard 101. Sure it’s a single barrel and if it’s a pick could be a bit better but again I can get a of 101 in a liter for 27. And my favorite is the rye’s and the rare breed is still cheaper than what this is.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I prefer WT 101 and Rare Breed over this one. Even the store pic that I have is not as good as the other two.

[@CGsYTChannel]

These seem to vary from bottle to bottle greatly. People go crazy chasing certain ones based on the locations. I like some of the other WT offerings better.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I'm with you. I like other WT bottles better as well.

[@coltknight3945]

I prefer KS to RB.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

When I saw RB my initial thought was Redbreast Irish whiskey. 🤔 It took me a second to realize what you meant. Cheers!