The story is that back in “the day”, after Wild Turkey got it’s name (1941), it was competing with a lot of other bourbons that were bottled in bond which means that they had to be bottled at 100 proof. Not willing to be outdone, the folks at Wild Turkey wanted to stand out and make their whiskey 1 better & that’s how 101.

Wild Turkey is distilled at a very low proof & comes out of the barrel at around 109 proof requiring only slight dilution before being bottled at 101 proof which means it is as good as coming out right from the bottle & close to barrel proof.  The deep color is attributed to the use of the heaviest char # 4, also known as the “alligator char,” since after that duration of charring, the interior of the oak wood staves has the rough, shiny texture of alligator skin.

Time to taste the dram – Neat or on the rocks or with few drops of water.
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Sure if you want to appreciate and enjoy bourbon whiskey on its own, then you may like to drink it neat at room temperature and without ice. However, adding a  few drops of water to the whiskey certainly helps to “open up” the aroma of the bourbon. For a beginner, try bourbon whiskey on the rocks, or with a few cubes of ice.
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I tried it neat as well on the rocks but found it most soothing with a few drops of water.
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Mashbill :
Corn : 75%
Rye : 13%
Malted barley : 12%
Abv: 50.5%
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Nose: Sweet notes of caramel &  candy & intense alcohol fragrance. Vanilla, oak, marshmallow. Spice, nutmeg as good amount of high-rye influence in the mash bill.

Palate: Pleasant oakiness, sweet corn, vanilla, maple syrup, cinnamon. Well balanced flavors of sweet & spice notes.

Finish: Long caramel, wood, spice & dry fruit.
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Overall, 101 is a balanced and robust whiskey & had a pleasant drinking experience.

Cheers!