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Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series vs Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Comparing Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series and Russell’s Reserve 15 Year reveals a matchup between a modern, even-keeled craft expression and an uncut, cask-strength bruiser.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series | Russell’s Reserve 15 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 15 years |
| Proof | 98.9 proof (49.5% ABV) | 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV) +18 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 ~$263 less | ~$250 – $400 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series and Russell’s Reserve 15 Year do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
One of my favorites.
Flavor Profile
Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 6/9 oak: Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 9 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
spice 5/6 spice: Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 6/6 fruit: Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series: A blend of Bardstown's own young distillate with older sourced Kentucky whiskey, which is exactly what the name describes. Polished and fruit-leaning, and a clear demonstration that the blending is the skill on show.
- Russell’s Reserve 15 Year: The oldest regular Russell's Reserve, at barrel proof. Fifteen years in Camp Nelson rickhouses push it toward old oak, leather and dried fruit over the usual Turkey spice.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series if you want a well-built modern blend that shows what careful blending does rather than what age alone does at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Russell’s Reserve 15 Year if you want a very old, oak-heavy Wild Turkey for slow sipping with more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series); neat (Russell’s Reserve 15 Year).