“We always look for those rich flavors – caramel, toffee, fruits, and sweeter notes – that define the Russell’s profile. But we also want each release to shine in its own way, which is why you’ll find some releases with bolder, deeper flavors and varying proofs,” Eddie Russell tells Maxim. At the moment the Master Distiller is attempting to explain how Wild Turkey threads the needle between consistency and allowing each expression of Russell’s Reserve to speak its own language: “It’s about staying true to what makes Russell’s Russell’s, but letting each batch bring something unique to the table.”
The legendary whiskey maker is discussing the fourth iteration of Russell’s Reserve 13-Year Old, an expression born in June 2021 from the similarly themed, but a bit younger, Russell’s Reserve 10-Year Old. That lineage launched in 2005 (or 2001 without the age statement), as a way to allow the esteemed Kentucky distillery to show off its best honey barrels. And of course the name is a reference to Wild Turkey’s beloved caretakers, the Russell family. A legacy which began in 1954 when Eddie’s father Jimmy first joined the distillery, then fortified in 1967 when he took over as Master Distiller of the Lawrenceburg campus.
As Jimmy handed off the whiskey making baton to Eddie in 2015 by making him co-Master Distiller, it is widely believed that Eddie will hand the title, and duties, to his son Bruce when the time comes. For now, Jimmy and Eddie Russell make up the longest-tenured father and son distilling team in bourbon history. This type of seamless transition in quality control all but assures that the lineage and consistency in flavor profile of the Russell’s Reserve line will stay true.
“We were actually using a small amount of 13-year old bourbon in our 10-year old, and we noticed that those barrels had some notable differences in profile,” Eddie says when asked how he first came up with the idea of evolving a 13-year old expression from the initial Russell’s Reserve 10-Year Old.
“The 13-year barrels had even deeper, more intense flavors, and a bit more of that oak influence you get with age,” Russell continues. “This year’s 13-Year Old is even bolder, especially since it’s bottled at a higher proof.” The small batch of barrels were hand-selected by Eddie himself, and this year they opted to bottle at a higher ABV, noting the bourbon simply tasted better at its 123.8-proof cut than the previous 114.8-proof. Notably, Wild Turkey are from now on time-stamping every annual expression of Russell’s Reserve 13-Year Old with the bourbon’s specific proof and production season on the label. Another small move to underscore the legacy, history and consistency of the Wild Turkey name.
“The biggest thing that Jimmy taught me, and something that I’ve passed on to Bruce, is to never change the core of what we do; do everything the right way, or don’t do it at all,” Eddie shares when asked what the greatest lesson was he learned directly from his father Jimmy. “Bruce is really into the blending and tasting, something I’ve always loved too, but as a family, we want him to know all aspects of the business,” Eddie continues. “That means learning distillation, understanding how proof affects flavor… I’ve spent a lot of time showing him how the different floors of our seven-story warehouses bring different flavors. At the end of the day, it’s about loving every release – not chasing fads or shortcuts. That’s what makes the work meaningful and keeps the tradition strong.”
The 2025 bottling of Russell’s Reserve 13-Year Old Bourbon launched in limited quantities at the distillery Visitor’s Center, and was just made nationwide for an SRP of $200.
Follow Deputy Editor Nicolas Stecher on Instagram at @nickstecher and @boozeoftheday.
