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Booker’s vs Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof
Booker’s and Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight versus an undiluted barrel-strength pour.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Booker’s | Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 7 years | 13 years +6 yr |
| Proof | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) | 123.8 proof (61.9% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$85 – $110 ~$153 less | ~$200 – $300 |
- Booker’s and Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof do not publish an official mash bill.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
Booker’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Booker’s Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 8/3 nuttiness: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 3 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Booker’s 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 6 out of 10
heat 10/8 heat: Booker’s 10 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 8 out of 10
sweetness 7/8 sweetness: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 8 out of 10
spice 7/6 spice: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 6 out of 10
oak 8/8 oak: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 8 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- Booker’s: Uncut, unfiltered Beam at batch strength, and the most concentrated expression of the house peanut-and-oak character. Enormous and hot, with a finish that goes on well past where you expect it to stop.
- Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof: Thirteen-year Wild Turkey at full barrel proof, uncut and unfiltered. Cola, molasses and fruit cobbler sit on deep, charred oak, and each release carries its own proof.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Booker’s if you want the Beam house style at full power and you have water on the table at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof if you want an old, uncut Wild Turkey with cola, cobbler and serious oak with an older age statement.
Best enjoyed neat (Booker’s); neat (Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof).