I've Tasted Hundreds of Whiskeys. This New Bourbon Is the Best I've Had All Year
In the realm of Kentucky bourbon, the Russells are pretty much whiskey royalty. The family behind Wild Turkey spans three generations of distillers and blenders. They’ve been behind some of the most revered releases of the last half century. And now they’ve got a new crown jewel to add to to the collection: Russell’s Reserve 15-Year-Old, set to hit shelves starting on July 1. It might be the best limited-edition bourbon bottling we’ve tried all year.
What makes it so delicious? All that aforementioned expertise plays a big role. Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame master distiller Eddie Russell launched his eponymous label in 2001 as a way to honor his father Jimmy's legendary career, which now encompasses a record-setting 70 years in the industry. Rich in the category’s quintessential elements of caramel and vanilla, it prominently showcases the high corn mashbill preferred by the brand and rapidly became one of its most coveted liquids.
A parade of single barrel variations appeared in the years to follow, some of which boasted statements of age beyond the 10-year-old flagship. But it wasn’t until April of 2021 that the Russell's Reserve lineup added a 13-year expression. The barrel-strength behemoth was an instant smash with connoisseurs, and in 2023, it won coveted Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
On the heels of that runaway success, the Russell family has opted to up the ante once more. However great the 13-year is, two extra years of aging have resulted in something superior. The 15-year exhibits stunning fresh apricot and herbs in the nose and a swirling vortex of candied cherry and sugar plum on the palate.
Hitting the bottle at 117.2 proof, it packs considerable heat. The lingering effects of such are felt not as boozy burn, but instead as a tingle of toffee and charred oak, which retreat slowly from the palate.
Russell’s Reserve 15-Year-Old is set to retail at $250 a bottle and will actually arrive in place of its younger sibling as the label’s sole limited release of 2024.
"While it wasn't an easy decision to release something other than Russell's Reserve 13, the added complexity from extended aging was too exciting to pass up," says Eddie Russell. "It's been humbling to watch what started as a passion project—a place to celebrate my family's shared love of bourbon making—turn into something that's coveted by collectors the world over.”
Related: 21 Best Bourbons for an Old Fashioned, Tasted and Reviewed