Wild Turkey Longbranch Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey 70 cl, 43% ABV - Small Batch Sipping Bourbon

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Wild Turkey carried out an unprecedented act (for their own distillery, not the wider industry) when they produced a bottle that carries a name of someone other than that of the Russells, their recently confirmed dynasty of master distillers. Eddie Russell collaborated with the Wild Turkey brand creative director, movie star Matthew McConaughey, and crafted a new bourbon to continue their mission of reestablishing Wild Turkey as a “barroom name.” The bourbon that resulted of this partnership is Wild Turkey Longbranch. We live in a time when people are starting to drink whiskey, and by doing so are considered novice drinkers. As a result, Wild Turkey is doing its part by creating a bourbon that is targeted directly at this demographic. Wild Turkey says that the brand was named when the president of the current brand, Austin Nicholls, went turkey hunting with some friends. He took with him an 8-year old bourbon which boasted 101 proof. To create Longbranch's signature flavor, McConaughey and Russell spent countless hours sharing notes, then, after two years of testing, perfected a proprietary process that combines two separate charcoal filtration methods to give Longbranch a smooth and full finish. The first filtration process uses charcoal made from American White Oak and the second uses charcoal made from Texas Mesquite wood, giving the bourbon notes of smoky sweetness. Longbranch is a quality bourbon that represents creativity and innovation. It tastes like a bourbon that Wild Turkey put a lot of thought and effort into, and hopefully results in more creative partnerships like the one employed by McConaughey and the Russells. Vital Stats

Nose: The sweetness is of corn and vanilla syrup, complemented by a light toasted graininess (I couldn’t help but think of pancakes) and a toasty undercurrent. Normally, their whiskey is put into a charred oak barrel for around four years and then shipped out to bottling. But according to the marketing, in this case the whiskey is aged for a much more luxurious eight years (although this isn’t listed on the bottle — probably to allow some blending behind the scenes) before being further processed. Wild Turkey’s Longbranch Bourbon has unveiled a second chapter in its “Wonder What If” global advertising campaign, starring Matthew McConaughey. (Photo: Longbranch) Concocting this unique spirit took two years of note swapping and testing to create the process that results in allowing Longbranch to fork into its own bough in the Wild Turkey family tree. Two filtration processes are used, starting with charcoal from American White Oak and finishing with charcoal from Texas mesquite wood which gives the bourbon a hint of smoke.

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The aroma is sweeter and less oak driven than things like Wild Turkey 101 or any of the Russell’s releases and the palate follows suite with an even denser sweetness than the aroma. There’s also more char and something that almost resembles smoke in that spot between the sip and the finish. It’s missing that signature bite and in some ways it reminds me of the Old Ripy. Regardless, it’s a delightful interesting whiskey and I don’t see this bottle lasting long. SHARE WITH: Wild Turkey fans will want to give this a try if for no other reason than to see if it's worth their allegiance. I doubt it will excite folks that reach for Wild Turkey 101 or higher, but it's a bourbon that I would certainly recommend to those just starting to explore the world of bourbon. It's proof point and pedigree make it a solid starter bourbon for those looking for recommendations. Excerpt: It will be interesting to see if this release connects with bourbon drinkers and if it will become a permanent expression for the company. Wild Turkey may not have reinvented the wheel here but there’s enough to justify its place on the shelf. The first is through the use of charcoal from American White Oak, while the second uses charcoal of Texas Mesquite. Longbranch offers a 750mL bottle at 86 proof. Alternatives The honest truth is that it’s difficult to find a reason why anyone wouldn’t want to own a bottle of Longbranch bourbon. It’s smooth, delicious, and offers just the right blends to make this an appealing drink to novice users who are just getting started in the world of bourbon.

OVERALL: I've been eagerly awaiting what the partnership between Wild Turkey and Matthew McConaughey would bear regarding a new bourbon release. But before I give you my final thoughts, it's important to stress that Longbranch is not for the long-term diehard whiskey drinker who appreciates bottle proofs at or above 100. You have to understand and accept that before you try it for yourself. Longbranch is for people new to the world of bourbon. A low bottle proof and classic Wild Turkey DNA make it the perfect gateway expression to pull people into the Wild Turkey family of whiskeys. Matthew McConaughey's involvement to the product makes it more attractive to a broader consumer base - which is why he became Wild Turkey's Creative Director a few years ago. While some have bristled at Wild Turkey's alignment with a celebrity like McConaughey, I believe it was a smart move. One that allows the brand to reach new consumers and ensure they remain a relevant brand among today's new bourbon drinkers. If done correctly - and all signs point to it is being done correctly - it will help make sure that all of us will have access to our favorite Wild Turkey expressions for a long, long time. As for the whiskey itself, it's a solid Wild Turkey product. Based on my personal preferences I find the lower proof makes the nose a bit faint and the taste watered down. But if I put aside my preferences, and try to experience as someone new to bourbon would do, I can see the appeal. There's extra sweetness on the front palate, and the additional charcoal filtering has toned down the Wild Turkey spice making it smoother and thereby, more approachable for those not used to more aggressive juice. Longbranch is going to be in my starting rotation for new bourbon drinkers, and I look forward to hearing their thoughts as they try it compared to other lower proof bourbons. Matthew McConaughey's goal was to create his favorite bourbon. Longbranch is the result of those efforts. Based on the expression's proof, price point, and quality - not to mention affiliation with McConaughey, I think it's likely to become a favorite for lots of people. To all of those folks, I welcome you to the world of bourbon. I hope you stay for a while and help us continue to spread the bourbon gospel. Cheers! Method: Build all ingredients (except soda) over ice into a highball glass, stir vigorously to mix, add soda water, then stir gently. Garnish with lemon wheel and rosemary twig, burnt. More Information Matthew McConaughey has been ingrained in the Wild Turkey brand as creative director for several years now,” said Bob Kunze-Concewitz, CEO at Campari Group, owner of Wild Turkey. “As a lover of bourbon, and an integral part of the team, it was a natural next step for Matthew to partner with Eddie to create a new product for Wild Turkey. We are proud of the work they’ve done and have great expectations for this amazing new whiskey.”B and B-: Good and above average. The best of the mass market whiskeys fit in this category, as do the bulk of the premium brands. A B- is three stars. When he started working with Wild Turkey, McConaughey says they tried to dispel the perception that bourbon is “male, over 60, after work, on the porch” with a campaign featuring younger people socializing. Last year, a campaign titled “Wonder What If” featured the actor alone in a field talking and asking questions of a bottle of bourbon. A third campaign, which debuted this summer, was meant to be “simple, self-assured,” and focus once again on the distillery’s history. Wild Turkey Longbranch is the latest collaboration to come from the multi-year partnership with the Academy Award® winning actor. McConaughey, who has served as the brand’s creative director since 2016, has worked behind the camera and in front of it in television commercials to reintroduce the world to Wild Turkey, and this new bourbon is a natural evolution of the partnership. The name is inspired by the friends that form the longest branches of our family trees.

Wild Turkey has developed and delivered a bourbon that successfully joins its 81 proof release and its classic 101 offering. Longbranch is an easy bourbon to drink, and you’ll notice all the traditional flavors that make Wild Turkey the popular brand it is today. Just like other whiskeys and bourbons which use charcoal filtration, Longbranch doesn’t have strong notes of charcoal. This is due either to the notes aligning perfectly with the traditional flavor of Wild Turkey or that using charcoal to filter whiskey doesn’t add any obvious flavor. Instead, it just removes unpleasant tastes from the aged bourbon, which has gone through its filtration process. Upon being approached to be a Wild Turkey spokesperson in 2016, McConaughey opted to take it a step further by producing a series of short films for the brand. He has since served as Wild Turkey’s creative director. This month, the relationship hits a new level as he directs and stars in his first campaign for the Longbranch brand he co-created. Entitled, ’Wonder What If,’ the global campaign is meant to tap into the power of wonder and curiosity. If you like the Lincoln ads, you’ll like this one This cookie is set by Rubicon Project to control synchronization of user identification and exchange of user data between various ad services.Throughout the next several decades, ownership of the brand would experience ownership changes, distillery changes, and the addition of Russell’s son to the ranks of distillation. Finally, in 2011, a new Wild Turkey Distillery opened its doors on Wild Turkey Hill. Arthur Shapiro, former chief marketing officer of Seagram’s whiskey, says whiskey is “a product that has story, romance and, probably of most importance, Americana.” Now a consultant, he adds that bourbon in particular has “a mystique; it’s got history.”

McConaughey is amongst many, many celebrities that have joined the alcohol world, such as Ryan Reynolds, Kendall Jenner, George Clooney, Peyton Manning, and Dwayne Johnson. In as much as I can gather a sense or impression of Matthew McConaughey as a person – based on interviews, speeches, philanthropic activities and other off-screen impressions – the sentiment of Longbranch seems well-aligned with his persona, further evidenced in a company-issued press release.

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FINISH: The familiar Wild Turkey spice and oak take over on a medium length finish with a very slight hint of smoke. The charcoal filtering has sweetened the finish a bit thereby rounding off the spice corners a bit. The following indicators should be taken as only a guide and not a set of hard and fast rules. Some "premium" whiskeys really are quite terrible, while some mass market products are good enough to pour into a decanter and serve to the Duke of Edinburgh. A+: A masterpiece and one of the ten best whiskeys of its type. Above five stars. Longbranch consists of an eight-year-old bourbon from Wild Turkey. Its mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 10% malted barley. It is distilled through the process of two charcoal filtration processes. There is the familiar scent of spicy vanilla, however the fragrance of Longbranch seems to be rather delicate. There are secondary notes of leather and mellow smoke that drift in after being allowed to breathe. This subtleness continues into the flavor, where you will find caramel swirling along with the vanilla and it finishes with a biting note of the toasted oak barrel.