Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Review

About – Wild Turkey has listened to the cries of the masses and released a higher aged, cask-strength version of Russell’s Reserve. This 13 year release marks the first limited release under the Russell’s brand and carries the hype and the secondary price tag that comes along with that. This bottle that carried an srp of $69 has surpassed the $500 mark on the secondary market. Does this 114.8 proof release live up to the hype? Time to find out….

Nose – Complete surprised. The very first thing I get here is orange cream which is uncharacteristic of any Wild Turkey I have ever come across. Serious oak structure is present with a nice barrel spice. Slight musk shows the age. There is a hint of cherry as it sits in the glass and opens.

Palate – Burnt sugar and oak open things up. Once a bit of bitterness wears off cherry and vanilla come in giving you those familiar Russell’s notes. After that it darkens up a bit picking up a cola vibe along with some clove. The finish is long starting out with oak and coming back to the cola and clove. That combination is bringing back memories of a gingerbread Coke I once had at the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta.

Score – A

Verdict – This is an excellent release and lives up to the standards I expect from Wild Turkey. They have managed to take the standard Russell’s profile that we all know and love and elevate it. This is easily one of the best releases of the year. Is it worth the secondary price? That would depend on your budget. I will say if this falls in your budget you should buy it.

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