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Bulleit Bourbon vs Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Bulleit Bourbon and Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a sourced, rye-forward blend versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Bulleit Bourbon | Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 110 proof (55% ABV) +20 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$25 – $32 ~$34 less | ~$55 – $70 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- 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 Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Bulleit Bourbon Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 5/8 oak: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 8 out of 10
heat 4/7 heat: Bulleit Bourbon 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 7 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 6 out of 10
spice 7/8 spice: Bulleit Bourbon 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 8 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Bulleit Bourbon 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- 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 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 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 Single Barrel if you want concentrated Wild Turkey character with single-barrel variation and real texture with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Bulleit Bourbon); neat, old-fashioned (Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel).