I came to Wild Turkey’s latest bottling, American Spirit, with much excitement: It’s a 15-year-old bonded bourbon, 100 proof, produced in small batches, and limited to 24,000 bottles worldwide. What’s not to like?

Unfortunately, there’s not much excitement once it hits the glass. This is an easy-sipping bourbon, but its vanilla, caramel, and woody flavors just aren’t all that well integrated. It pings you with some light secondary flavor notes, then quickly vanishes. There’s little finish to speak of: It goes down easy, but that’s not really a good thing here.

For $90 a bottle (complete with wood case, commemorative coins, etc.), more attention has clearly been paid to packaging than to the bourbon itself. If not for the price, it’d make a perfect mixing whiskey. Alas, you can get that job done just as well for a fifth of the price.

100 proof.

B- / $90 / wildturkeybourbon.com

Wild Turkey American Spirit Bourbon

$90

7

Rating

7.0/10