Matthew McConaughey unveils Wild Turkey bourbon

Actor Matthew McConaughey has taken his role as creative director of Wild Turkey a step further, announcing the launch of his own signature bourbon made under the guidance of master distiller Eddie Russell.

Matthew McConaughey and Eddie Russell, master distiller at Wild Turkey

The new Wild Turkey bourbon will be released under the name Longbranch, and is a small-batch straight bourbon refined with oak charcoals and Texas mesquite – an homage to McConaghey’s home state.

Made with eight-year-old Wild Turkey bourbon, Wild Turkey Longbranch is bright gold in colour with its an aroma profile of vanilla and spices, with flavours of caramel, pear, and hints of citrus that round out the palate, a release states, and a “subtle, smoky finish” described as “buttery smooth, with notes of gentle pepper and toasted oak”.

“When we were creating Wild Turkey Longbranch, we talked at length about how to make a product that represents elements of both Texas and Kentucky,” said Wild Turkey Master Distiller Eddie Russell. “Our goal was to make a straight bourbon whiskey with a soft sweetness that was still unmistakably Wild Turkey. The result was a bourbon that we both truly enjoy drinking neat, and look forward to sharing with others.”

Its launch marks the first time Wild Turkey has unveiled a product that bears a signature of someone other than the master distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell, and is the result of an on-going collaboration with Academy Award winning actor McConaughey, who has served as the brand’s creative director since 2016.

“Longbranch, in its simplest form, is an extended hand, inviting a friend into your family,” said McConaughey. “So the branch that was extended to me from the Russells was a long one, one that reached from Kentucky to Texas and back again. I offered the Mesquite from my great state to add to their legendary Kentucky whiskey and together we made Longbranch.”

During his time with the brand, McConaughey has been a passionate and vocal advocate for the brand, appearing in and directing several commercials to promote the brand, as well as a video (below) explaining the two-year process of producing Longbranch.

The eventual whiskey was produced by combining two separate charcoal filtration methods to give Longbranch a smooth and full finish. The first filtration process uses charcoal made from American White Oak and the second uses charcoal made from Texas Mesquite wood, giving the bourbon notes of smoky sweetness.

“Matthew McConaughey has been ingrained in the Wild Turkey brand as creative director for several years now,” said Bob Kunze-Concewitz, CEO at Campari Group, owner of Wild Turkey. “As a lover of bourbon, and an integral part of the team, it was a natural next step for Matthew to partner with Eddie to create a new product for Wild Turkey. We are proud of the work they’ve done and have great expectations for this amazing new whiskey.”

Wild Turkey Longbranch will be available on shelves across the US in May for a suggested retail price of $39.99 and will roll-out to additional markets around the world later this year.