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Wild Turkey timeline

Unread postPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 6:55 pm
by bourbonv
This is for the Wild Turkey fans, like me.

Wild Turkey History

1855 - Friend P Fitts returns to New York from the Gold Rush
in California and start an import business (Beverage
Media Blue Book, History of Austin Nichols & Co.).

1880 - The company had already moved five times to larger
accomidations (Bev Med Blue Book, History).

1891 - T B Ripy owns a distillery in Tyrone, Kentucky (Wine and Spirits Bulletin, Jan. 1891).

1934 - The Austin, Nichols company enters the liquor industry
with arrangements to import wine and liquor (Bev Med
Blue Book, History).

o - The company starts to produce its own blends, cordials
and gins (Bev Med Blue Book, History).

1938 - The company sells all of its grocery business to
concentrate on the liquor business (Bev Med Blue Book,
History).

1942 - Austin, Nichols first begins to bottle Wild Turkey (Liquor Store Magazine, Feb., 1970).

1971 - Austin, Nichols purchases a distillery in Lawrenceburg,
Ky. to produce Wild Turkey. (Before this Wild Turkey
was simply bulk whiskey purchased on the open market).
(World Guide to Whiskey, Jackson).

o - Wild Turkey decanters are first placed on the market
(World Guide to Whiskey, Jackson).

1983 - Wild Turkey is producing three ceramic decanters a year
(World Guide to Whiskey, Jackson).

1993 - Wild Turkey introduces its "Kentucky Coolers" mixed Cocktails (Mike Veach, 3/29/1994).

1996 - Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit wins the "Best of the Year" award for 1995 from the "Malt Advocate" Magazine (Malt Advocate, Vol 5, No.1, 1996, p.20).

Mike Veach

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 2:03 pm
by angelshare
How does Jimmy Russell fit into the time line? IE, when did he become master distiller? In what capacities did he work at the distillery prior to becoming master distiller? Have you ever had any of the pre-1971 Wild Turkey?

Thanks, Mike - you're timelines are excellent! :cheers:

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 2:49 pm
by bourbonv
Jimmy was working for the Ripy distillery when Wild Turkey purchased it. Ripy made the bulk of the Wild Turkey at the time, but I have heard other old Hand distillers from other distilleries discuss making whiskey for Wild Turkey in the 50's and 60's - including Stitzel-Weller. I always wondered if it was a wheated wild Turkey.

Mike Veach

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 5:22 pm
by bunghole
Mike in which year did Pernod Ricard buy out Austin, Nichols & Co.?

Unread postPosted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 4:38 pm
by bourbonv
A letter in the Taylor-Hay Family papers from Creel Brown discusses the fact that the war should not prevent his deal to sell whiskey to Austin-Nichols Company. Could this be the first Wild Turkey whiskey - whiskey made at J T S Brown distillery? We know they were buying bulk whiskey somewhere.

Unread postPosted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 5:07 pm
by cowdery
bunghole wrote:Mike in which year did Pernod Ricard buy out Austin, Nichols & Co.?


1980, according to the Wild Turkey web site.

Re: Wild Turkey timeline

Unread postPosted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 5:55 pm
by Dump Bucket
Anyone had teh older WT juice?

Re: Wild Turkey timeline

Unread postPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 11:33 pm
by MauiSon
I'd like to see some additions to the timeline. Wikipedia says Wild Turkey 80 proof was added in 1974 and Wild Turkey Liqueur in 1976. How about label changes?