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Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond vs Wild Turkey 101
Comparing Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond and Wild Turkey 101 is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$45 – $55 vs. ~$25 – $30).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond | Wild Turkey 101 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 101 proof (50.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$25 – $30 ~$23 less |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Wild Turkey 101
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Wild Turkey 101
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/8 spice: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 8 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 6 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 4 out of 10
heat 5/6 heat: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 6 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond: The bonded entry in the Whiskey Row series and a noticeable step up in density from the standard 100. More oak and more weight, though the price gap to the 100 proof is harder to justify than the flavour gap suggests.
- Wild Turkey 101: The workhorse high-rye Kentucky bourbon and one of the best proof-to-price ratios anywhere. Vanilla and orange up front, then a genuinely spicy, peppery, tobacco-tinged middle that punches well above $25.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded, denser take on the Old Forester profile with more barrel behind it.
- Go with Wild Turkey 101 if you want bold rye spice and real proof at the lowest price of anything comparable.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Wild Turkey 101).