You may not be able to have Matthew McConaughey make an appearance at your holiday party, but you can certainly make a festive splash with his Wild Turkey Longbranch Bourbon. Everyone’s favorite Texan worked with Wild Turkey to infuse their latest expertly crafted small-batch bourbon with his Kentucky and Texas roots.
The Academy Award-winning actor’s parents are from Kentucky, home of Wild Turkey. As a bourbon lover, the partnership between the actor and the company seemed like a natural fit. The brand’s creative director since 2016, McConaughey has worked behind the camera and starred in its commercials to reintroduce the world to the bourbon brand. “As a lover of bourbon, I have secretly always wanted to create my own. (Master Distiller) Eddie Russell and I have worked together for about two years to create Longbranch,” says McConaughey. “Why did we name it Longbranch? We meant it as an extension of the hand – a welcome to friends who can become family.”
So, how did McConaughey get his Texas roots into a bourbon so famous for being from the Bluegrass State? The distillers used the most common small tree type to grow throughout southern Texas – the mesquite tree. The eight-year-old Wild Turkey Bourbon is put through a filtration process using American white oak and is then put through a second filtration process using charcoal made from Texas mesquite. “When mesquite is grilled, it gives off flavors that are earthy, rich, smokey, and sweet. It was the note I was looking for – a little sweeter. Refining the bourbon with those mesquite charcoals also gave it a little more smoothness,” said the actor.
Always smooth and sweet himself, McConaughey realizes that no holiday celebration is complete without a signature cocktail, and Wild Turkey Longbranch has two. These light cocktails are great to serve with appetizers or as a fun way to close out the evening. By the way, you can tell your guests you have it on good authority that McConaughey’s favorite way to drink bourbon is neat.
Signature Cocktails
Branch Water
2 parts longbranch
Juice of half a lime
Soda water or sparkling mineral water
Directions
Squeeze half lime into glass filled with ice. Leave lime in the glass. Add Longbranch and top with soda water.
Longbranch Neat/Rocks
2 parts Longbranch
Serve neat or over ice
