The connection between Austin Nichols and Wild Turkey began in the mid-19th century and evolved through several ownership changes: Wholesale Roots (1855–1940): Austin Nichols & Co. started as a wholesale grocery business in 1855. By the 1930s, they specialized in spirits and sourced bourbon from various Kentucky distilleries, including the Ripy family's facility. Brand Creation (1940): The "Wild Turkey" name was coined after Austin Nichols executive Thomas McCarthy brought warehouse samples on a turkey-hunting trip; his friends liked "that turkey bourbon" so much that the name was officially adopted for the brand. Ownership & Sale (1971–2009): Austin Nichols purchased the Ripy brothers' distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, in 1971, officially becoming a distiller. The company was sold to Pernod Ricard in 1980 and then to Gruppo Campari in 2009 for $575 million.