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Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select vs Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select and Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select | Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 80% corn, 8% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 110 proof (55% ABV) +16 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 ~$13 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 5/8 spice: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 8 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 7 out of 10
oak 7/8 oak: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 8 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select: Barrels pulled from the top of the rickhouse, where the temperature swings are hardest, and it shows as considerably more oak than any standard Jack. A genuinely different proposition from the black label.
- 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 Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select if you want a distinctly oakier, more concentrated Tennessee whiskey with barrel-to-barrel character at a 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 neat, rocks (Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select); neat, old-fashioned (Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel).