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Evan Williams Black Label vs Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Evan Williams Black Label and Russell’s Reserve 15 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus an undiluted barrel-strength pour.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Evan Williams Black Label | Russell’s Reserve 15 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 15 years |
| Proof | 86 proof (43% ABV) | 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV) +31 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$14 – $18 ~$309 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
Evan Williams Black Label
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
One of my favorites.
Flavor Profile
Evan Williams Black Label Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 5/9 oak: Evan Williams Black Label 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 9 out of 10
heat 3/7 heat: Evan Williams Black Label 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
spice 4/6 spice: Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Evan Williams Black Label 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Evan Williams Black Label: The everyday black label, and a perfectly competent well bourbon. Softer and sweeter than the bonded version, with less to say but nothing objectionable.
- 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 Evan Williams Black Label if you want a dependable, inexpensive mixing bourbon and nothing more complicated than that 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 cocktails, highball, rocks (Evan Williams Black Label); neat (Russell’s Reserve 15 Year).