Right before the holiday season, I picked up a bottle of Russell’s Reserve 10 Bourbon. It was a bottle that I have seen on the shelves before, but I had never tried it. After finishing our Thanksgiving Wild Turkey bottle, I wanted to give the Russell’s Reserve a try.
However, that bottle of Russell’s Reserve was not opened by us. As we were moving out of our old house, we decided it might be nice to leave a bottle of whiskey for the new homeowners. Either that or I’d gotten tired of boxing up all my whiskey bottles. Alas, it was left behind as a welcoming gift that I know I would have been happy to receive.
I picked up a replacement bottle and at some point earlier this year, Alie and I opened the bottle to give it a try. However, like most people, I got caught up with work. We spent time unpacking and trying to get organized. If I’m being honest, there are still a handful of things that I literally have no idea where they are. Needless to say, whiskey reviews and cocktail crafting have taken a back seat to everything else we’ve had going on.
So this week, we are back with the 3rd attempt at completing our review of Russell’s Reserve 10 Bourbon.
Russell’s Reserve
Russell’s Reserve is a product of Wild Turkey Distilling, which is owned by the Campari Group. The Russell’s Reserve label was created by and named after Jimmy and Eddie Russell, the father and son team who have been responsible for making Wild Turkey since the 1950s.
The Russell’s Reserve brand is a premium offering from Wild Turkey. In addition to the 10-year bourbon, you might be able to find a Single Barrel and Rick House offering from the brand.
Russell Reserve 10 Year
Russell’s Reserve 10 is distilled from a mash bill that is 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. It is aged for 10 years in #4, alligator char barrels before being bottled at 90 proof. According to the Russell’s Reserve website, Russell’s Reserve 10 has the aroma of “orange peel and citrus with notes of butterscotch, maple, oak, and vanilla.” The taste is described as spicy caramel and vanilla. The finish is described as mild but lingering with notes of toffee.
Russell’s Reserve 10 has won a number of awards over the years. In 2018, it won a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. It also earned a Double Gold Medal in 2020 at the New York International Spirits Competition.
Tasting Notes
My first whiff of Russell’s Reserve 10 was filled with notes of caramel, followed by a touch of maple syrup. It wasn’t overly powerful. It was a light and delicate sweetness that fits perfectly with the rain. Alie felt the aroma was very light on the nose. She noticed a touch of apple pie aroma.
On my first sip, I mostly noticed a dry, oak flavor. It was medium intensity, with a nice lingering, but dry finish. On the second sip, I still noticed the dry oak flavor but also picked up a touch of vanilla.
I added a touch of water to the Russell’s Reserve to see how the whiskey changed and if I might be able to pick up some different tasting notes. The addition of water made the whiskey less dry, but it didn’t do much to change the flavor, at least on the first sip.
Alie really enjoyed Russell’s Reserve 10-Year Bourbon. She really enjoyed the first few sips, but the flavor faded out a bit after she had a little more. For what it’s worth, she got home super late and quickly ruined her palate by eating bolognese for dinner. I may have forgotten to tell her I needed tasting notes.
I took another and notice a touch more vanilla on the palate. The intensity was diminished by the water and the finish did not linger as long with the addition of water. With the water, I felt like I was swapping one good thing about the whiskey for another.
Without water, the intensity and finish of Russell’s Reserve 10 are very much to my liking. With water, it brings out more sweetness in the whiskey.
Our Ratings
Drinkability: 3.8
Intensity: 2.5
Personal Preference: 3.8
Beginner Friendly: 4
Availability: 5
Overall: 3.8
Final Thoughts
For the price, Russell’s Reserve 10 is a solid option. It doesn’t blow you away, but it is a good pour at a great price point. For those who are fans of Wild Turkey, Russell’s Reserve 10 is a no-brainer purchase. You should absolutely add it to your bar.
If you want to use it in a cocktail, we recommend trying it in our Brown Sugar Manhattan. You can find the recipe here.
Recently, 10-year bourbons have become highly sought after. Many have suffered outrageous price markups due to the age statement on the bottle. Eagle Rare comes immediately to mind. It is nice that Russell’s Reserve can still be readily found and will run you less than $35.
Happy Exploring!
