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Russell’s Reserve 10 Year vs Blanton’s Single Barrel
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year and Blanton’s Single Barrel are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$40 – $50 vs. ~$80 – $150).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Russell’s Reserve 10 Year | Blanton’s Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 10 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 93 proof (46.5% ABV) +3 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$40 – $50 ~$70 less | ~$80 – $150 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Blanton’s Single Barrel 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
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Blanton’s Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Blanton’s Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 8/6 oak: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 8 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 4 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 6 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 6 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
heat 4/4 heat: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 4 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 3 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Russell’s Reserve 10 Year: Ten years of Wild Turkey at a restrained 90 proof, which trades the 101's punch for polish. More oak and more composure, and one of the better age-stated bottles at its price.
- Blanton’s Single Barrel: The bottle that invented the single-barrel category and still trades largely on its horse-stopper cork and its scarcity. The whiskey itself is genuinely good — honeyed and citrus-led with nutmeg spice — but at secondary prices you are paying for the bottle as much as the pour.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Russell’s Reserve 10 Year if you want an age-stated, oak-forward Wild Turkey with the volume turned down at a significantly lower price point and without hunting for it.
- Go with Blanton’s Single Barrel if you want the original single-barrel presentation and a honeyed, citrus-led profile, and the hunt is part of the appeal.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Russell’s Reserve 10 Year); neat, rocks (Blanton’s Single Barrel).