Distillery: Wild Turkey
Proof: 90
Age: 10 years
Mashbill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Price: $40
Company
Wild Turkey, based in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, is one of the most well-known brands in the bourbon world (and 101 is their most popular offering).
Master Distiller, Jimmy Russell, has 60 years of experience and is often referred to as the “Buddha of Bourbon”. You can pretty much guarantee that any bourbon made by Wild Turkey will be worth buying.
Production
According to their site, Russell’s Reserve 10 Year is a small batch bourbon that’s aged in No. 4 alligator char barrels. It’s the Russell’s Reserve bottle that “started it all”.
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Review: Tasting Notes
Nose – 3.67/5
Rye heavy with cinnamon, caramel, slight oak, vanilla, and a hint of graham cracker. Pretty spicy and more complex than expected
| Inspector’s Score | Insider’s Score | Average Score |
|---|---|---|
| 4/5 | 3.33/5 | 3.67/5 |
Palate – 3.42/5
Slight rye (not as much as the nose suggested) with a touch of caramel and oak. This is a traditional bourbon profile with a bit of rye thrown in. It doesn’t have a ton of spice, but just enough to keep it interesting at 90 proof.
| Inspector’s Score | Insider’s Score | Average Score |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5/5 | 3.33/5 | 3.42/5 |
Finish – 3.42/5
Initial orange peel then heavy rye comes back. There are also notes of leather, toasted marshmallow, and a nutty tone. It’s dry and medium-lengthed with more complexity than expected.
| Inspector’s Score | Insider’s Score | Average Score |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5/5 | 3.33/5 | 3.42/5 |
Value – 4.25/5
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year is one of the best values in bourbon. Coming in at about $40, it’s an approachable pour with more character than a common bottle like Maker’s Mark or Buffalo Trace.
Not everyone will like the spicier profile, but it adds a complexity most $40 bourbons simply don’t have.
| Inspector’s Score | Insider’s Score | Average Score |
|---|---|---|
| 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 4.25/5 |
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Review: The Verdict
3.69/5
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 4.25 – 5
- Gold – 3.25 – 4.24
- Silver – 2.75 – 3.24
- Bronze – <2.75
Hunter Branch is the Founder and Director of Editorial for Bourbon Inspector. He has been writing about and professionally reviewing bourbon since 2020 (and has been drinking it for much longer). He’s been able to interview big names in the bourbon industry like Trey Zoeller from Jefferson’s Bourbon and his work has been featured in publications like TastingTable, Mashed, and more.