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Four Roses Single Barrel vs Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Comparing Four Roses Single Barrel and Russell’s Reserve 15 Year reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and an uncut, cask-strength bruiser.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Single Barrel | Russell’s Reserve 15 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 15 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV) +17 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 ~$275 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 Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
One of my favorites.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Single Barrel Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 6/9 oak: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 9 out of 10
spice 8/6 spice: Four Roses Single Barrel 8 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 7/6 fruit: Four Roses Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
heat 6/7 heat: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Four Roses Single Barrel 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 Single Barrel: The OBSV recipe on its own at 100 proof — the highest-rye mash Four Roses uses, paired with their most floral yeast. Cherry and clove in equal measure, and a genuinely distinctive glass.
- 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 Single Barrel if you want the most expressive, spice-and-fruit-forward single recipe in the Four Roses range 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 more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Four Roses Single Barrel); neat (Russell’s Reserve 15 Year).