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Booker’s vs Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Comparing Booker’s and Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel reveals a matchup between an uncut, spice-driven heavyweight and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Booker’s | Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 7 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) +15 proof | 110 proof (55% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$85 – $110 | ~$55 – $70 ~$35 less |
- Booker’s does 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 Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Booker’s Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 8/3 nuttiness: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 3 out of 10
heat 10/7 heat: Booker’s 10 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 7 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 6 out of 10
spice 7/8 spice: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 8 out of 10
oak 8/8 oak: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 8 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Booker’s 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Nutty, grain-driven character is the divider.
- 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 Single Barrel: Non-chill-filtered single barrels at 110 proof, and the format that store picks have made a cult of. Concentrated Wild Turkey character with a texture the standard bottlings do not have.
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 with more proof behind it.
- Go with Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel if you want concentrated Wild Turkey character with single-barrel variation and real texture at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat (Booker’s); neat, old-fashioned (Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel).