Review #430 - Russell's Reserve 15 Year Bourbon
A few years ago, in 2021, Wild Turkey gave us the first batch of a highly-aged bourbon from their Russell's Reserve brand: the 13 year. Several batches arrived in the following years, and now, in 2024, they've upped their game: we now have a 15 year age stated Russell's Reserve, a limited edition release.
There isn't a lot of other information available - we know the youngest barrels used were 15 years old, but based on the details of some other Wild Turkey releases, it's very possible that there's even older stock in this batch. The strength is a respectable 58.6% ABV (117.2 proof), and there's no chill filtration.
Russell's Reserve 15 Year Bourbon
USA - Bourbon
Price: USD 250 (2024)
Age Statement: 15 Years
Strength: 58.6% ABV
Details: Not chill filtered, bottled 2024
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times (once blind) over 1 month from a sample. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Ultra rich - a dark, sweet, oaky nose. Layers of Belgian chocolate, cherry jam, cherry cola, and molasses; high-age scents like soft tobacco leaf and old leather arrive. Soft pepper adds a hint of spice. A perfumed side to the oak comes in time, adding fragrant linen, even incense.
Palate: A medium-thick mouthfeel - peppery oak and tannins, pleasantly warming, quite oaky up front. There are still lots of sweet layers, though: dark chocolate, caramel, subtle cream soda. Espresso and barbecued oak add more mature notes, and there's a hint of hot jalapeno and tobacco. Very oily and rich.
Finish: Warming and oaky - a mix of savory, sweet, and dry. The oak is charred and has a darker complexion, as well as some tannins; it brings cinnamon and a bit of smoke, too. Chocolate, Coca Cola, and vanilla combine in the aftertaste. It's a long finish.
Final Note: This is in the running for the best bourbon we've ever tried. We think that this is a nice step up from the 13 year version (batch 2) that we tasted, which is already a great bourbon; the depth of flavors and dark, brooding maturity here is excellent.
Because this bottle is very expensive, even at MSRP, it's hard to give this an amazing value score despite that great flavor. Value is alright - for an ultra-premium bourbon, we think this would be a good way to spend your money. That said, you can get 80% of the flavor for a lot less money if this price is a bit more than you're comfortable spending.
Our Average Rating: 8.8 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.56
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
