Wild Turkey Bourbon is a staple at most bars. I actually challenge you to go into any bar that you can wear jeans into and find one that sells bourbon where this isn’t on the shelf. As a young man, I remember when a single bottle of Wild Turkey was enough to keep four of five of us good for a night. Those were the days.
Wild Turkey Bourbon
Wild Turkey has a long history, and has been in production for over sixty years. The interesting part, is that it was started in New York in 1940 and wasn’t bought by a company in Kentucky until 1972.
The Nose
The nose on this Wild Turkey is flat to me. I can smell the wood char and a hint of sweet, but its very basic.
The Palate
The palate opens with burnt marshmallow that continues through the finish with a mix of char and burnt sugar. The flavor reminds me of Hudson’s Baby Bourbon. Its much milder than Hudson’s Baby Bourbon, but its there, that burn marshmallow that ends in a hint of leather.
The Score – Wild Turkey Bourbon
The good news is that this Wild Turkey is a lot milder than Hudson’s Baby Bourbon. While I can drink Wild Turkey straight if I have to, for me this is really a bottle that should be saved for Mixed Drinks Only, scoring a 63/100.
Color
Amber and yellow. A little blood in the pee?
Proof
40.0% ABV | 80 Proof
Pros:
Cheap.
Easy to find.
Affordable way to make lots of mixed drinks.
If there aren’t other options, this can be sipped, which makes it a good backup that is easy to find.
Cons:
If you don’t like toasted marshmallows, this may not be for you.
While in Richmond Virginia for business I was lucky enough to get a reservation ate Alewife. It is a small corner restaurant with a unique menu that can also adjust to make various vegetarian dishes. The staff were both knowledgeable and nice. I’m not a wine drinker, but others in my party were asking questions and our server was able to list off the tasting notes with ease to help them make a selection.
For starters we had Virginia Oysters as well as a potato dish. The oysters were amazing and had just the right touch of hot sauce to give them a kick.
For dinner I selected the Duck Breast. The duck was amazing. I have no idea what it was on, it looked like a sea based plant. I tried eating that but it was just a bit tough so I left it alone after devouring the Duck Breast. My only criticism of the food was the portion size. I’m a big guy and after going to dinner I don’t really like having to go get a snack. That could be a “me” problem, but even one of my fellow diners who is petite commented on the portion size.
You will note that the drink menu is relatively small:
Alewife Drink Menu
I selected the Linecaster as it was described as a type of Manhattan by the Alewife team.
Linecaster
The Alewife Linecaster was a definite highlight of the meal. I don’t like sweet drinks, and while the Linecaster has a touch of sweetness on the finish, it has wonderful notes of citrus that blend with the bourbon in delightful way.
Scoring
If you are in the Richmond area I would hit Alewife for appetizers and a few drinks. The duck was great, but needed to be paired with a better, more filling side. As a restaurant Alewife scores high marks, as a Whiskey Place it scores a 63/100 because of its minimal whiskey options.
