Wild Turkey 101 Rye returns beginning this month after an absence from the market for about a year due to “unexpected high demand.” The company says increased demand for Rye Whiskey and growing enthusiasm for classic cocktails played a role in the depletion of 101 Rye’s aged stock. As a whole, the Rye Whiskey category has exploded faster than distillers have been able to keep up, jumping 41 percent in the past 52 weeks (according to Nielsen data). Due to the time and care it takes to craft all Wild Turkey products, distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell could not “simply turn a tap to release more liquid as the unexpected demand grew.” Due to very limited stock, the brand will re-introduce one liter bottles targeting on-premise accounts in 21 markets across the country. “To be completely frank, we didn’t realize bartenders had such a passion for it. Given the bartending community can be directly attributed for the current resurgence in Rye and classic cocktails, we had to listen and take the necessary steps with our available aged stock to bring 101 Rye back.”