The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Richard Thomas
For several weeks now, the American whiskey blogosphere has been abuzz with word that Campari, the Italian drinks conglomerate that owns of Wild Turkey, would be starting a line of not-Wild Turkey whiskeys. Now Campari is poised to release the first two whiskeys in the line, dubbed Whiskey Barons, entitled Old Ripy and Bond & Lillard.
The theme for Whiskey Barons is the revival of defunct brands, as well as the restoration of some Bourbon heritage. Part of the proceeds from Whiskey Barons sales will go to the restoration of the T.B. Ripy House, one of the Wild Turkey Distillery’s neighbors in Anderson County, Kentucky. T.B. Ripy was a late 19th Century Bourbon tycoon, and his mansion is locally known as “the house that Bourbon built.” Descendants of Ripy reacquired the house in 2010 with the intent of restoring it as a tourist destination, but renovation efforts reportedly stalled in 2014.
As the name might imply, Old Ripy was one of the Ripy family labels, dating back to 1868. It’s reintroduction was done with the consultation of and using memorabilia provided by the Ripy family. It’s a non-chill filtered blend of 8 year old Bourbon and other whiskeys made at Wild Turkey, and bottled at 104 proof (52% ABV).
Bond & Lillard is another old timey brand with mid-19th Century origins, and in this instance it was recreated using tasting notes from the 1904 World’s Fair, where Bond & Lillard won a Grand Prize. This expression is based on a charcoal-filtered 7 year old Bourbon, and bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV).
The recommended price point for both whiskeys is $49.99, and distribution includes California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York City, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as the Wild Turkey Distillery.
