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Four Roses Bourbon vs Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Four Roses Bourbon and Russell’s Reserve 15 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an undiluted barrel-strength pour.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Bourbon | Russell’s Reserve 15 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 15 years |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV) +37 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$22 – $28 ~$300 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
Four Roses Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
One of my favorites.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Bourbon Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 3/9 oak: Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 9 out of 10
heat 2/7 heat: Four Roses Bourbon 2 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
spice 5/6 spice: Four Roses Bourbon 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
fruit 6/6 fruit: Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Four Roses 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.
- Four Roses Bourbon: The yellow label entry point, blending all ten Four Roses recipes at a gentle 80 proof. Light and fruity to a fault, but the house floral character is already recognisable and it mixes beautifully.
- 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 Four Roses Bourbon if you want the Four Roses fruit-and-floral signature at its lightest and cheapest without hunting for it.
- 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 (Four Roses Bourbon); neat (Russell’s Reserve 15 Year).