Matthew McConaughey unveils his first whiskey

Wild Turkey creative director Matthew McConaughey has teamed up with Master Distiller Eddie Russell to create Wild Turkey Longbranch.

The 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.

Its inspiration was McConaughey and Russell's shared Kentucky and Texas roots. McConaughey's parents met at the University of Kentucky, a mere 15 miles from the Wild Turkey Distillery, while Eddie Russell's youngest son, Bruce, now lives in McConaughey's hometown of Austin, Texas.

"Longbranch, in its simplest form, is an extended hand, inviting a friend into your family," McConaughey says. "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."

To create Longbranch's signature flavor, McConaughey and Russell spent countless hours sharing notes, then, after two years of testing, perfected a proprietary process that combines 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.

Made with eight-year-old Wild Turkey Bourbon, Wild Turkey Longbranch features flavours of caramel, pear, and hints of citrus round out the palate. The subtle, smoky finish is 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 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."

"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 and will roll-out to additional markets around the world later this year, including Australia in August.