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Penelope Toasted Series vs Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Put Penelope Toasted Series next to Russell’s Reserve 15 Year and you have a blender-built, high-rye bottling set against a full-proof, unfiltered heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Toasted Series | Russell’s Reserve 15 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% 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 | ~$55 – $70 ~$263 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 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Penelope Toasted Series
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
One of my favorites.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Toasted Series Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/9 oak: Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 9 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Penelope Toasted Series 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
spice 5/6 spice: Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Toasted Series 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Penelope Toasted Series: Finished in a second, freshly toasted barrel, which pushes it toward toffee, roasted coffee and darker oak. The toast level changes from batch to batch.
- 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 Penelope Toasted Series if you want a toasty, coffee-and-toffee bourbon from a second-barrel finish at a significantly lower price point and 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 more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Toasted Series); neat (Russell’s Reserve 15 Year).