Wild Turkey is one of the most recognizable names in bourbon today. With a long and storied history, the brand’s origins can be traced all the way back to 1869. However, it was not until 1940, thanks to a fateful hunting trip, that the bourbon was given its unusual name.
So, how did the bourbon produced by the Ripy brothers come to be known as ‘Wild Turkey’? And how has the brand cemented itself in bourbon history and culture in just 85 years? Let’s find out.
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The Origins Of Wild Turkey Bourbon
In the early 1850s two brothers, James and John Ripy, traveled from County Tyrone, Ireland to Kentucky in search of a new life. Their new venture started with the establishment of a small general goods store. However, soon the brothers would move on to bigger things – namely, bourbon.
In 1869, the brothers opened a new family distillery on what is now known as Wild Turkey Hill in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Their bourbon quickly gained popularity, and business was stable until the enactment of Prohibition in 1919. Then, the distillery was forced to drastically reduce its output, only distilling for medicinal purposes. During this time, the whiskey was sold and distributed by Austin Nichols & Co., a grocer established in Kentucky in 1855. Although various other wholesalers bottled the whiskey under their own brand names, it would be Austin Nichols that would play a starring role in Wild Turkey’s history.
Once Prohibition was over, the Ripy brothers’ bourbon began to gain popularity again. So much so, that in the mid-20th century, an Austin Nichols & Co. executive named Thomas McCarthy decided to treat his friends to some drams on a hunting trip.
The Hunting Trip
Thomas McCarthy, a high-up in Austin Nichols & Co., fancied a hunting trip in 1940 (some sources say that the trip took place in 1936, and that the brand name was established in 1940), and he took along many friends with him. Also accompanying Thomas on the trip were some warehouse samples of ‘Austin Nichols Whiskey’.
These bourbon samples went down a treat with the hunters, who just so happened to be hunting wild turkeys. As such, at future gatherings, these hunters continually badgered McCarthy for some more of the “wild turkey bourbon”, a reference to the activity being done at the time they tasted the whiskey.
Before long, the name stuck, and the brand was officially given its name in 1940. Austin Nichols began to bottle Wild Turkey Bourbon in 1942.
The Wild Turkey Brand
Now with a stand-out name, Wild Turkey Bourbon began to gain fans across the country. The rapid growth of the brand was, no doubt, influenced by the expertise of Jimmy Russell, who became Wild Turkey’s third Master Distiller in 1967 after rising through the ranks.
Under Russell’s tenacious leadership, Wild Turkey flourished. Just some of Russell’s notable contributions to the brand include:
- A steadfast commitment to traditional distilling methods and a high rye mash bill
- The creation of Kentucky Spirit & Rare Breed
- The creation of the world’s first bourbon liqueur, which ultimately led to the launch of American Honey
- The mentorship of his son, Eddie, who now serves as Master Distiller alongside his father
- His induction into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2001
In 1971, Austin Nichols & Co. purchased the Wild Turkey brand outright, at the same time selling off its grocery businesses to solely focus on alcohol. Not only did this speak to the immense confidence in the Wild Turkey brand, but it also established the bourbon as a household name. The original distillery was known for producing richly flavored, well-aged, and uncompromised bourbon, something that the brand continues to do today under the ownership of the Campari Group.
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A Happy Accident
Sometimes, the greatest branding happens by accident. The hunters on McCarthy’s fateful hunting trip asking for ‘wild turkey’ bourbon led to the creation of one of the most iconic brands in bourbon and American whiskey today.
Wild Turkey continues to innovate whilst respecting tradition. As for Jimmy Russell, you can still find him at the Wild Turkey Distillery, pouring all of his love and knowledge into some truly fantastic bourbon.
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