Company: W.B. Saffell
Distillery: The American Medicinal Spirits Co.
Region: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Aging: Blend of 6, 8, 10, and 12 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
ABV: 53.5% ABV
Proof: 107 Proof
Mash Bill: Uses Wild Turkey’s bourbon mash bill of 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Batch: No 1
Non-Chill Filtered: Yes
MSRP Price: $60 for 375 ML Bottle
W.B. Saffell Bourbon Tasting Notes
Appearance: Dark Honey
Nose: Caramel, toasted oak, honey, vanilla, light fruits, citrus zest, and a touch of cinnamon
Palate: Rich honey, oak, vanilla, light fruits, apricot, peach, rye spice, black pepper
Finish: Long finish with an oily mouthfeel that lasts over 30 seconds – leaves you with caramel, oak, vanilla, rye spice, and a heavy pepper finish
The Story Behind W.B. Saffell Bourbon and The Whiskey Baron Collection
Prior to the W.B. Saffell release, Campari Group (owns Wild Turkey) released two other limited edition batches of whiskey called Old Ripy and Bond & Lillard.
The W.B. Saffell Bourbon is the third and final installment of the pre-prohibition brands as a nod to the “Bourbon Barons of Yore.”
I haven’t had the chance to find the first two installments of this series, but I managed to pick up this bottle when my friends and I visited the Wild Turkey distillery in February 2020.
Is W.B. Saffell Bourbon an Approachable Whiskey?
W.B. Saffell has a bit of heat to it which is backed up by big, bold flavors.
This is a hard-to-find bottle of whiskey so I would reserve this one for experienced whiskey drinkers.
Is W.B. Saffell Bourbon Complex?
W.B. Saffell Bourbon has a lot of layers of flavors.
It starts out with a lovely nose full of caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, citrus, and fruit flavors.
Then when it hits your palate, your taste buds are met with rich caramel, heavy oak (more than on the nose), vanilla, light fruits, and a bit of cinnamon.
Then a twist comes and you are hit with a strong blast of rye spice and pepper notes.
It finishes out with a nice, long, oily mouthfeel that really lasts quite a while.
What are W.B. Saffell Bourbon’s strongest attributes/flavors?
W.B. Saffell Bourbon’s strongest attribute would be its delicate blend of big, bold flavors.
While it’s not as strong as a cask-strength whiskey, it is non-chill filtered and covers all the bases of what you would expect in a bourbon…plus more.
Is W.B. Saffell Bourbon a go-to whiskey?
This is a rare bottle to find so I will certainly be reserving this one for special occasions.
Plus, it’s $60 for a 375ml bottle so it is quite pricey.
Is W.B. Saffell Bourbon priced accurately to its quality?
I do thoroughly enjoy this pour of W.B. Saffell.
However, if this were a 750ml bottle, the price would be $120.
That’s a very steep price for a no-age-statement bourbon so I’m not sure I would buy another bottle.
That being said, I am quite happy that I picked up this 375ml bottle as a memento of my first Kentucky Bourbon Trail trip and it will always remind me of my friends and my trip to the Wild Turkey distillery (currently being remodeled).
Conclusion for W.B. Saffell Bourbon
The only place that I have ever seen this bottle for sale has been at the Wild Turkey distillery itself.
I recently made another trip Kentucky Bourbon Trail Trip to Wild Turkey but their distillery and guest center were being remodeled so we just visited the temporary guest center and bar.
We were served by Bo Garrett and he was a real pleasure to drink with.
He shared stories of his favorite whiskeys, stories of his time with Wild Turkey and Eddie Russel, and cool stories of his grandfather and how specific yeast strains can grow in unsuspected places.
Also, after tasting all the Russell’s Reserve bottles, it was cool to learn that Eddie Russell helped Campari release this bottle of W.B. Saffell as well as all the legendary Russell’s Reserve bottles.
I highly recommend that if you have a chance, stop into the Wild Turkey distillery and get yourself a pour of this bourbon as well as all their other offerings (Russell’s Reserve 13 Year in particular).
Let Us Know What You Think
I hope you enjoyed this tasting experience with me.
If you decide to give this bottle a shot, please let me know on social media via Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Thanks for reading and cheers!
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