The Wild Turkey distillery, then known as Boulevard, was built in 1935 by the Ripy Brothers in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The Wild Turkey brand name originated around 1941 when some, shared on a hunting trip, was referred to as "some of that wild turkey whiskey." It is distilled at bottled by the Austin Nicholls company and for many years they had sourced the whiskey from the Ripy's, but eventually bought the distillery from them in 1972, renaming it in the process. Of almost equal importance, the purchase of the distillery included the contract of legendary master distillery, Jimmy Russell, who started working there in 1954. His name is synonymous with the brand, and his son succeeded him 2015. In 2011 a new Wild Turkey distillery was built on the same site, replacing the original Ripy plant after 76 years.

Austin Nichols released the Wild Turkey 1855 Reserve in 1992, primarily for overseas markets like Japan. The year 1855 in its name does not indicate the year the whiskey was distilled or released; instead, it commemorates the founding year of the Austin, Nichols & Co. wholesale grocery business

It is a barrel-proof, uncut, and non-age-stated blend of 6-, 8-, and 12-year-old bourbons.

It was primarily marketed as an export-exclusive sibling to the domestic Wild Turkey Rare Breed.