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Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 9:50 am
by angelshare
Forgive our memories and probable ineptitude using the search function - can anyone here remind us of the specific history re: WT's dropping the 8 year age statement and subsequently using the phrase "Old No. 8" on the label? We ran across an "Old No. 8" bottle in DC recently that appears to be from 1991 based on the glass markings.

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 9:58 am
by bourbonv
I remember I had started at United Distillers full time when they went to "Old No. 8", so that would be 1992 or early 1993 (I started at UD full time in September 1992). I am not sure when they dropped the "Old No. 8" designation.

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 12:55 pm
by cowdery
Mike's memory is the same as my own. They didn't stay with the "Old No. 8" for very long, maybe two years. Although more recent, an Old No. 8 bottle is probably more rare than an 8-years-old one.

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 1:50 pm
by angelshare
Thanks, gentlemen! Upon closer inspection, the glass reads "93" and not "91," which would be very consistent with Mike's recollection. We haven't opened it yet, but the general consensus is that WT from this era is good, yes? Unfortunately, there was only one bottle left on the shelf (as best we could tell looking behind the bulletproof glass, anyway).

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:02 pm
by birdman1099
I believe the Old #8 was in use from 1991 to 1997....

Where is the dump bucket??? He'll know !!!

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:53 pm
by BostonEnthusiast
Indeed -- Em may be the world's foremost authority on this exact subject (maybe surpassing Jimmy Russell!)

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 11:28 am
by VaderTime
I picked up 22 half pints of Old No. 8 86.6 proof in Taipei bottled in May 1994 (there is a date stamped on the back, is it a Taiwan govt date or from WT?). It is excellent!

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 11:40 pm
by Dump Bucket
birdman1099 wrote:I believe the Old #8 was in use from 1991 to 1997....

Where is the dump bucket??? He'll know !!!


Sorry... a bit late here...

So, the Old #8 started in 1992 once each of the 8 yr lables ran out. I was lucky enought to find a case of 375 ml rounds that was a blended case with tiem stanps to proove it. I have has 8 yr as old at late 93 (200 ml bottle from DC) and early 92 Old #8s from Hawaii.

God I love that juice.

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 9:26 pm
by T Comp
I have a time stamped 1.75 ml Old No. 8 from 1993 (10:05, 05/24/93) and left on a shelf a 1.75ml from 1997. God I love it too.

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 11:29 pm
by bunghole
OK. ima old man. I remember the real Wild Turkey! There was only one Wild Turkey. It was a full 8 years old and a very full 101 proof. Today only Rare Breed comes close to the real thing. Kentucky Spirit was very good, but has gone downhill. The original 101 proof 10 year old Russel's Reserve just might have been the very best Wild Turkey bourbon ever to be put into a bottle. Yes there have been some VERY expensive extra aged Turkeys that have been supurb, and well received.

Old No. 8 has always been a totally lack luster - run of the mill bourbon. There is nothing special about it at all. Todays vatting of variously aged Wild Turkey straight bourbons are far superior to anything that used to be called "Old No. 8". That's just one of the reasons they got rid of the "Old No. 8" label.

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 12:35 am
by Dump Bucket
bunghole wrote:OK. ima old man. I remember the real Wild Turkey! There was only one Wild Turkey. It was a full 8 years old and a very full 101 proof. Today only Rare Breed comes close to the real thing. Kentucky Spirit was very good, but has gone downhill. The original 101 proof 10 year old Russel's Reserve just might have been the very best Wild Turkey bourbon ever to be put into a bottle. Yes there have been some VERY expensive extra aged Turkeys that have been supurb, and well received.

Old No. 8 has always been a totally lack luster - run of the mill bourbon. There is nothing special about it at all. Todays vatting of variously aged Wild Turkey straight bourbons are far superior to anything that used to be called "Old No. 8". That's just one of the reasons they got rid of the "Old No. 8" label.



Lynn, the first 2 yrs of the Old # 8 was 8 yr juice.. .it went to hell after that. mid 94 and on should be left where it was found... :D

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:30 pm
by ggilbertva
bunghole wrote:The original 101 proof 10 year old Russel's Reserve just might have been the very best Wild Turkey bourbon ever to be put into a bottle.


Linn - For me, my favorite WT expression is the 8 year 101 with the RR101 following close on its heals. Everything I've tried beyond those two lack that old Turkey taste.

Dave - The '93 Old No. 8 should be equivalent to the original 8 year as Em stated. Pop that bottle and enjoy.

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 11:08 am
by VaderTime
Well, I returned to the big box retailer where I picked up the 22 bottles before, and it turned out they had received a new case. So I had to pick it up! Please see attached pictures! I have given out about 12 bottles of my first score, so I guess I have about 55 200ml of WT from 1994.

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 11:13 am
by VaderTime
Everyone I share this with over here in Taiwan is raving over this stuff. I also noticed a Black Label Early Times at the same store, should I pick it up?

Re: Wild Turkey Old No. 8

Unread postPosted: Wed Aug 10, 2011 2:34 am
by VaderTime
Another case from December 93 was on the market until I cleaned out the bottles. Also 86.8 proof. It is slightly spicier than the May 94 batch, but not as creamy, I am a fan of both. I asked if they had any more, and they later told me they still have about 9 cases left of the 200ml bottles from that era. Each case is about USD 260 +/- 10. I have asked which case is the oldest, but have yet to get a response. Maybe there is some juice from 92?!?

I have pretty much bought bottles of all the bourbon available in Taiwan, and this WT is pretty much the best and almost the cheapest. I much prefer it to my recently purchased 1981 barreled EC18, and I can get 2L of WT for the same price. JBW, Kentucky Gentleman, Early Times export, and HH white are the only thing cheaper, and not by much. Plus no cork taint! Which is huge cause I have had severe cork problems over here with older bottles.