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Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond vs Wild Turkey 81
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond and Wild Turkey 81 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, classically built classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond | Wild Turkey 81 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 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) +19 proof | 81 proof (40.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$20 – $25 ~$28 less |
- Wild Turkey 81 does not publish an official mash bill.
- 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 81
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Wild Turkey 81
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/4 oak: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 4 out of 10
heat 5/2 heat: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 2 out of 10
spice 6/4 spice: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 4 out of 10
fruit 5/3 fruit: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 3 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/2 nuttiness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 2 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- 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 81: The same mash bill and No. 4 char as Wild Turkey 101, cut to 81 proof. Honey and toffee come through clearly, but the body and spice are much lighter.
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 with more proof behind it.
- Go with Wild Turkey 81 if you want a lighter Wild Turkey built for mixing at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond); highball, cocktails (Wild Turkey 81).