55% ABV

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Lawrenceburg, KY

Jimmy and Eddie Russell

Russell’s Reserve is a line of whiskeys made by Wild Turkey Distilling Co. The whiskies pay homage to the father and son co-master distillers, Jimmy and Eddie Russell. We’ve talked about Jimmy Russell on these pages before but here’s a rundown in case you missed it.

James “Jimmy” Russell started working at the Wild Turkey Distillery in 1954 in the quality control department but as he’ll gladly tell you, in addition to analyzing samples for quality he did everything from sweeping floors to shoveling grain. Bill Hughes, who was the master distiller then, took Jimmy under his wing and when he retired in the 1960s, Jimmy became the master distiller.

Jimmy’s son Eddie was hired in 1981 and like his father, started from the ground up. He swept floors and worked in the warehouse. Over the years he worked his way up and in 2015 was promoted to co-master distiller alongside his father.

The Russell’s Reserve was originally released in 2001 to showcase Jimmy’s mastery over the craft of making exceptional bourbon. The initial release was a 10-year-old bourbon made up of the best barrels selected by the elder Russell. Eventually the lineup was expanded and has become a platform for Eddie’s contributions to Wild Turkey’s portfolio.

One bourbon recipe to rule them all

Much like the cigar manufacturers, whiskey distillers all do things differently. There are distilleries that manage different recipes, or mash bills, to produce their range of products while others run everything off one tried and true mash bill. Wild Turkey is the latter type. Every Wild Turkey bourbon that you’ve ever tasted, be it the classic Wild Turkey 101, Rare Breed, Kentucky Spirit, or Russell’s Reserve, all come from one recipe. The same grains, 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley, the same proprietary yeast strain, distilled on the same stills, and aged in the same type of barrel with the same char. The differences from one product to the other come from the amount of time in the barrel and the placement of the barrel in the rickhouses.

Pairing by: Erik Calviño

Tasting Notes: Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel

The nose on the Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel delivers a dose of cinnamon spice and cherry along with oak, caramel, and vanilla. The palate continues with the cinnamons and cherry, which are joined by oak spice, brown sugar, and a bit of tobacco. The finish is long, with the brown sugar, oak, and caramel lingering for quite some time.

Cigar Pairing: Tatuaje Tuxtla Lomo de Cerdo

On its own, the Tatuaje Tuxtla is an ultra-flavorful and complex blend highlighted by notes of chocolate, ripe fruit, and sweet earth along a rich, creamy texture. As you smoke, note the flavors that you perceive from the cigar before introducing the whiskey. Then take a couple of small sips from the Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel. Use the first sip to get your palate acclimated to the alcohol; the second will open things up. Now take several puffs from the cigar and notice how much the whiskey has impacted it. We find that the cigar tastes almost like a peppery Werther’s Original from the first puff. Take several puffs and enjoy the evolution before taking the next sip.