I have a confession to make: Prior to this review, I knew very little about Jimmy Russell. I briefly met him and his wife while visiting Kentucky in 2021, but beyond that, what I knew about him was derived from word of mouth. The highlights I could tell you were his lengthy tenure as a Master Distiller, his preferred age range for bourbon (around 8 years), that he’s not particularly fond of rye whiskey, and his designation as the “Buddha of bourbon.” Needless to say, lacking knowledge while heading into a review for a bottle commemorating the man’s 70^th anniversary with Wild Turkey just didn’t sit right with me. Thus, I did a quick bit of research so I’d have more to say about Jimmy than just, “the man makes whiskey.”

One word that came to mind while brushing up on Jimmy Russell was “steadfast.” He worked his way up the distillery ranks from the age of 18, when he scrubbed the floors, to being perhaps the most tenured Master Distiller alive. More than that, he kept Wild Turkey afloat even during bourbon’s downturn in the 1970s and 80s. A key point repeatedly made is how Jimmy Russell never crafted a light whiskey, a decision that ran contrary to what most other distilleries were doing at the time. Far as I could find, the closest Wild Turkey came to producing a product aimed at attracting non-whiskey fans was Wild Turkey Liqueur in 1976. This eventually became what we now know as Wild Turkey American Honey, which itself spawned American Honey Sting, a variant that incorporates ghost pepper.

The point is: Wild Turkey has long been revered as a working man’s bourbon. Although there’s been a recent, ostensible push for Wild Turkey (and Russell’s Reserve) to be more premium than years past, the brand has never been without upscale bottles. Whether we’re talking Master’s Keep, Russell’s Reserve denoted by the distillation year, or previous anniversary releases, Wild Turkey has always had luxurious options for those with deeper pockets and it’s unlikely that will change any time soon. Yet one can easily argue that these products aren’t the best representation of either Wild Turkey or Jimmy Russell. In fact, it’s been said that if Jimmy had full control over the distillery, then there’d only be one Wild Turkey expression: 8-year 101. This is where the 70^th Anniversary bottle comes in.

2024 has already seen the release of Master’s Keep Triumph and Russell’s Reserve 15-Year, along with an official announcement for the third Single Rickhouse. Each of these carry an MSRP between $250-$300, with secondary markets seeing roughly double that for the two Russell’s options. It’s easy to look at these and the likes of last year’s Generations, which carried a hefty $450 retail price, and view Wild Turkey as a sudden and aggressively premium brand. Fortunately for the more everyday folks wanting a taste of the LE pie, a more modest option was chosen for Jimmy Russell’s 70^th anniversary with the distillery.

Many of us are already familiar with Wild Turkey 101: an everyday bottle aged 6-8 years and typically priced around $25. Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell’s 70^th Anniversary effectively takes 101 and pushes it up a notch. The age is right where Jimmy likes his bourbon: 8-9 years old. Pricing and availability, although more restrictive than the standard 101, is far more agreeable than the aforementioned limited releases commanding triple digits. A total bottle yield hasn’t been disclosed, but it’s supposed to be one of, if not THE biggest LE release Wild Turkey has ever done. The bottle’s MSRP also lands it right beside the venerable Wild Turkey Rare Breed, so hardly out of reason for most bourbon fans.

A final note about the 70^th Anniversary release is a rather puzzling one. According to Senior Brand Builder Bo Garrett, the barrels used came from Camp Nelson. However, David Jennings (aka RareBird101) has mentioned that Jimmy’s preferred rickhouses are actually Tyrone A-D. If both of these are true, then it seems like an odd choice to not use Jimmy’s favorite locations. Regardless, each bottle of 70^th Anniversary displays Jimmy’s signature, and something tells me he wouldn’t allow that on a product he doesn’t personally endorse. With that out of the way, let’s dig into this whiskey.

Nose: Fruitier than I anticipated with an initial hit of mixed berries. As it sits, the more classic aromas of slightly torched orange, vanilla, light brown sugar, and an underlying peanut butter essence seamlessly mingle together. There’s also an occasional hit of syrupy cocktail cherry beneath an exterior of cinnamon spice, white pepper, and a hint of clove.

Palate: Moderately fulfilling mouthfeel. Cherry and orange upfront quickly fade in favor of peanuts and baking spice. Cinnamon, pepper, and brown sugar make the biggest impressions, not unlike the previous batches of 101.

Finish: Lingering, creamy peanut butter and developing vanilla complemented by residual baking spices. As with many great Turkey products, that spice component leaves the final impression, but not without adequate sweetness. Once again, balance is the name of the game here.

This is a remarkably easy bourbon to turn to. I’m normally the most indecisive person you can find, especially when it comes to deciding what pour I’d like to have at a given moment. Yet I’ve found myself turning to the 70^th Anniversary bottling just out of instinct the past couple of weeks. The last bourbon I recall having that kind of effect on me was Michter’s US1 Small Batch, a product with roughly the same price as this Wild Turkey LE. Neither the Michter’s nor this are necessarily showstoppers that will leave you saying, “stop the presses!” But they also don’t need to be.

Of all the limited Wild Turkey products released over the past several years, few (if any) seem to make as much sense as Jimmy Russell’s 70^th Anniversary. Instead of being a premium bottle that few folks can find or afford, this effectively elevated take on the tried-and-true 101 bourbon gives drinkers a straightforward experience in the best possible way. It’s equally endearing and unassuming, feeling like a product Jimmy Russell would proudly stand behind. We’re not dealing with a beast of a pour like 2023’s Single Rickhouse or Russell’s Reserve 15-Year; what we have instead is something that feels intended for the more everyday crowd, courtesy of the legend himself.

Where the overwhelming (I greatly emphasize that word) majority of modern bourbon releases draw attention from hobbyists and enthusiasts alike by being hyper-exclusive LTOs, something like Jimmy Russell’s 70^th Anniversary comes across like a tremendous breath of fresh air. It’s proof that distillers can easily put out stellar releases that people can hopefully find and afford. I imagine the main reason consumers might have any sort of difficulty with this release is because the entire bourbon market, secondary or otherwise, is so accustomed to FOMO that it’s like people can’t help themselves. And it runs so contrary to what Jimmy Russell seems to advocate for that it makes the entire situation feel that much more tragic.

I sincerely hope anyone who’s interested in this release is able to procure at least one bottle for themselves without any difficulty. That’s both how it’s intended and how it should be. Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell’s 70^th Anniversary is a near-perfect example of how something can be simple but so damn effective. Is it the most impressive whiskey I’ve tried this year? Not by a long shot. But to ask that question is also missing the point. Grab a bottle or two, pop it open, enjoy, and share while relishing the good in life.