I've enjoyed this bourbon a handful of times since my last note on 12/23/23, so I thought I'd jot some notes. I've been spending far more time in my wine collection of late, but this evening is one of those times where, after writing a note on an Argentine Chardonnay and thinking about terroir and minerals and Old-World styles vs New, I needed a safe space amongst those who believe that oak--especially American Oak--and even more specifically, American Oak with a #4 Alligator Char--is not anathema and sacrilegious poison but rather akin to the sweet smell of Mama's home cooking. Yes, oak. American Oak. Charred American Oak. And all of the glorious lactones, tannins, furfurals, lignins, and vanillins that are not reviled but revered. And alcohol, or "ethanol," which is nothing more than lipstick on a pig. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, etc. In the wine world, high-alcohol wines are sneered at by the cognoscenti as "over-extracted" or "Parkerized" or, even worse, "California," which needs no further explanation. But in the Beautiful Bourbon Bubble, alcohol is euphemized into "Kentucky Hugs" and "Bardstown Kisses" and, occasionally, a "habanero x ghost pepper hybrid with a Scoville rating of two million plus," which is high praised amidst the walled garden of the BBB. As we all already know, Russel’s Reserve is a Wild Turkey product. "Wild Turkey": can a bourbon's name get much better? In just two words we are embraced with Apple-Pie Americana—the Turkey was chosen by none other than Ben Franklin to be our National Bird, even if we did decide it was better coming out of a hot oven than being looked at on the back of a coin. And “wild” conjures Hank Williams Jr., Bo and Luke Duke, The Troggs, Steppenwolf, Van Morrison, Lou Reed, Cat Stevens, the Stones, The Moody Blues, Talking Heads, R.E.M., and even Tone Loc. Something for everyone. “Wild Turkey:” you had me at “Wild.” And “Turkey.” Lots of bourbon typicity here. Caramel, vanilla, chocolate covered cherries, rye spice, and a dusty note that I get with WT products. It’s good. I will buy it again. 4.25+ on the Distiller scale. And let’s not forget the mental accounting. A $60 bottle of wine is about 4.5 glasses, and lasts for maybe two days. A $60 bottle of bourbon? I’ve got several that have been open for years.