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Blanton’s Single Barrel vs Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Put Blanton’s Single Barrel next to Russell’s Reserve 15 Year and you have a classic, high-rye stalwart set against a full-proof, unfiltered heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Blanton’s Single Barrel | Russell’s Reserve 15 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 15 years |
| Proof | 93 proof (46.5% ABV) | 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV) +24 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$80 – $150 ~$210 less | ~$250 – $400 |
- Blanton’s Single Barrel and Russell’s Reserve 15 Year do not publish an official mash bill.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
Blanton’s Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
One of my favorites.
Flavor Profile
Blanton’s Single Barrel Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 6/9 oak: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 9 out of 10
heat 4/7 heat: Blanton’s Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
fruit 6/6 fruit: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Blanton’s Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Blanton’s Single Barrel: The bottle that invented the single-barrel category and still trades largely on its horse-stopper cork and its scarcity. The whiskey itself is genuinely good — honeyed and citrus-led with nutmeg spice — but at secondary prices you are paying for the bottle as much as the pour.
- 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 Blanton’s Single Barrel if you want the original single-barrel presentation and a honeyed, citrus-led profile, and the hunt is part of the appeal 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 (Blanton’s Single Barrel); neat (Russell’s Reserve 15 Year).