Old Rip Van Winkle 12 Year Bourbon 105 Proof 1988

Distilled circa 1973. Bottled 1985. Wild Turkey 12 Year Old Gold Foil — now 40 years from its original bottling, from the era when Wild Turkey's 101-proof standard had defined American bourbon for over two decades and the 12-year expression was the distillery's prestige offering.

Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky has produced bourbon continuously since Prohibition's repeal. The 12 Year Old was the distillery's flagship aged expression in the 1980s — a time before the craft bourbon revival, before allocated scarcity, and before Jimmy Russell's tenure had reached the legendary status it now commands. The Gold Foil packaging of this era identifies the specific 1980s presentation format.

At 40 years from original bottling (properly stored spirits in sealed glass maintain their bottled character essentially indefinitely), this is a time capsule of Wild Turkey production from the formative pre-modern era of American bourbon. The 1985 vintage is the oldest in the current Wooden Cork Wild Turkey Gold Foil collection, which spans from this 1985 through 1992.

Specs

• Distillery: Wild Turkey Distillery, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Distilled: circa 1973
• Bottled: 1985
• Age: 12 years
• Presentation: Gold Foil — 1980s era packaging
• Size: 750ml

Browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What Wild Turkey Gold Foil vintages are in the Wooden Cork collection? 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991 (Red Bird), 1991 (standard), and 1992 — a six-vintage Gold Foil vertical spanning the full decade of this iconic 1980s-era Wild Turkey packaging.
• What is the Gold Foil designation? The Gold Foil identifies the specific 1980s-era presentation format of Wild Turkey 12 Year — a distinctive packaging that distinguishes these vintage bottles from later production eras.
• Is the 1985 Wild Turkey Gold Foil still available? Yes — available now.