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Bulleit Bourbon vs Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Put Bulleit Bourbon next to Russell’s Reserve 15 Year and you have a blender-built, high-rye bottling set against a full-proof, unfiltered heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Bulleit Bourbon | Russell’s Reserve 15 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 15 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV) +27 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $32 ~$297 less | ~$250 – $400 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 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
Bulleit Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
One of my favorites.
Flavor Profile
Bulleit Bourbon Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 5/9 oak: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 9 out of 10
heat 4/7 heat: Bulleit Bourbon 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
sweetness 5/7 sweetness: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
spice 7/6 spice: Bulleit Bourbon 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Bulleit Bourbon 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Bulleit Bourbon: The bottle that put high-rye bourbon in every cocktail bar in the country. Peppery and dry with the familiar MGP dill note, and it earns its place behind the bar more than in a glass on its own.
- 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 Bulleit Bourbon if you want a dry, peppery, high-rye bourbon built for cocktails and available absolutely everywhere 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 significantly more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Bulleit Bourbon); neat (Russell’s Reserve 15 Year).