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Serving the Fresh Turkey by Jack Bettridge Senior Features Editor, Cigar Aficionado

Posted November 19, 2001, 5:30 p.m. e.s.t.

When the fourth Thursday of November is at hand thoughts always turn to Thanksgiving turkey. At my house that usually means at least some Wild Turkey, the classic bourbon distilled by the whiskey legend Jimmy Russell.

To keep our bird fresh, this year we uncorked some of Russell's Reserve, a line Jimmy developed with his son Eddie, who works alongside his dad at the Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, distillery as manager of maturation and barrel inventory. Available for about a year, Russell's Reserve is 10 years old, an age the two Russels determined -- after much testing we assume -- to be perfect for Bourbon.

Apparently they kept this intelligence to themselves for a while before Eddie suggested they unleash the spirit on the world.

We're glad he did. The Reserve is a heady quaff with a nose of sweet vanilla and buttery cinnamon toast. In the mouth, it shows its age -- woodier than other Wild Turkey products. It is very sweet without being cloying, but also informed with the tang of orange peel and some spiciness. The finish is all maple candy. In short, it's a warming tonic for when the weather turns cold on Thanksgiving. Turkey's latest edition joins a line that includes the standard Wild Turkey (available in 80 and 101 proof), Rare Breed (barrel proof at 101 proof), Kentucky Spirit (single barrel 101 proof) and a rye (101 proof). If you notice a theme developing here, it is the tendency to dial the alcohol content in at 101 proof. Jimmy stopped in recently and explained that it's his theory that 101 is the optimum strength for serving Bourbon.

"How do like your steak?" he asked.

"Medium rare," was the answer.

"That's because you don't like all the flavor cooked out of it." Jimmy takes the same approach to Bourbon, distilling at lower proofs to retain the flavors from the grain. Then he dilutes it with less water than is allowed by law (with the exception of his 80 proof spirit). Neither of these practices is particularly cost conscious, but this is how Jimmy, ever the purist, likes it. The old fashioned way is such a part of his nature that he's still scratching his head at the addition of a computer in Eddie's office.

Another key to the Wild Turkey formula, which you'll notice particularly in the Russell's Reserve, is the use of deep charring in the barrels. Bourbon is aged in new charred oak barrels and the distiller can pick how intense he wants that charring to be. Jimmy's choice is always the deepest and it shows in the amber color and full body of the whiskey.

Forgive us if we jump the gun and give thanks already for this Thanksgiving bird.

THANKSGIVING COCKTAIL
If you're looking for a particularly festive holiday cocktail consider the Wild Thanksgiving, which introduces Wild Turkey to the traditional drink of New England (where Thanksgiving began): cider.

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