Founded: 1869 (distillery site as Ripy Distillery); Wild Turkey brand: 1940 (ESTABLISHED FACT) Location: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, USA Founder: Ripy brothers (distillery); Thomas McCarthy (brand, per lore)
The Ripy brothers established a distillery on the site after the Civil War. The Wild Turkey name reportedly originated in 1940 when executive Thomas McCarthy shared his bourbon on a wild turkey hunt. Master distiller Jimmy Russell has worked at the distillery since 1954 — one of the longest tenures in the industry. The distillery is now owned by Campari Group. (source: Wikipedia)
Signature style: Bold, high-rye — rye spice, caramel, oak, pepper, tobacco. Full-flavored, high-proof (101 is the flagship).
Famous expressions: Wild Turkey 101, Wild Turkey Russell’s Reserve 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit.
Trivia: Jimmy Russell, Wild Turkey’s master distiller since 1954, is widely regarded as the longest-serving master distiller at a single distillery. (source: Wikipedia) — ESTABLISHED FACT