Wild Turkey Forgiven Whiskey

Following the end of the American Civil War, the Ripy Brothers returned to their native state of Kentucky and together, opened a distillery on the slopes of a hill in Lawrenceburg. The distillery operated continuously for nearly fifty years until the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the sale of alcohol in the United States, was ratified. Following the end of Prohibition, the Ripy Brothers Distillery was reopened and a distillery executive named Thomas McCarthy took samples of maturing whiskey from the distillery on a turkey hunt with a group of friends. The next year, his friends asked him to bring “some of that wild turkey whiskey” on their next hunt, giving birth to the distillery’s new name.

Today, Wild Turkey Distillery is stewarded by Master Distiller Jimmy Russell and his son Eddie Russell (together, the pair have over 90 years of experience producing bourbon). “I was born and raised in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky,” says Jimmy, “which was a small community when I was growing up, but there were four bourbon distilleries here, and you had families working all the distilleries. You wanted to get in the business. My grandfather and my father, me, and now my son, we’ve all been in the business.”

Wild Turkey Forgiven Whiskey was created by accident when a distillery crew-member mistakenly mingled together a perfectly-matured, six-year old Wild Turkey Bourbon (78%) with a high-proof, four-year old Wild Turkey Rye (22%) (each had matured in American oak casks with a #4 char). After the mistake was made, Eddie Russell tasted the blend and quickly concluded that the exceptional whiskey should be brought to market, giving birth to Wild Turkey Forgiven. “I was mad when I first discovered our crew’s mistake,” says Russell, “but once I tasted it, all was Forgiven.”

Wild Turkey Forgiven has a bold and spicy aroma, with notes of cloves, oak, cinnamon and rye bread. “At Wild Turkey, we like the spicy note the rye gives you,” says Russell. The aroma gives way to a more mellow flavor profile, with notes of caramel, creamy vanilla and toffee that lead to a finish accented by touches of pepper and whipped cream.