WILD TURKEY

BEHIND THE BARREL 2025

the challenge

Campari Group wanted to deepen trade affinity for Wild Turkey and Wilderness Trail, inspiring bartenders and distributors to become advocates for the brands. The goal: strengthen loyalty, spark storytelling, and create a proud-to-pour mentality across key trade audiences.

the SOLUTION

Across three sessions, guests immersed themselves in the world of bourbon through hands-on education, friendly competition, and sensory exploration.

  • At Wild Turkey, guests walked the rickhouses with Bruce Russell and blended their own Rare Breed in an intimate challenge, took aim during skeet shooting, and gathered for a Thanksgiving-style dinner that turned into storytelling by candlelight.

  • At Wilderness Trail, curiosity met craft. Guests tested their grit on a custom obstacle course, hand-stamped leather keepsakes, and joined a master class with Dr. Pat Heist before ending the night with a live farm-to-table dinner under the open sky.

Outside the distilleries, the Kentucky experience continued to unfold: happy hours at Silver Dollar, dinners at North of Bourbon and River House, and late-night connection in the BTB Lounge. Each guest left with engraved mementos, stories shared across @campariacademy_us, and a renewed respect for the craft, camaraderie, and quiet precision that live behind the barrel.

90 TOTAL ATTENDEES

489 Total applicants

23k social views

700+ social interactions

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