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Russell’s Reserve 10 Year vs Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year and Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, classically built classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Russell’s Reserve 10 Year | Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 10 years +6 yr | 4 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$40 – $50 | ~$16 – $22 ~$26 less |
- Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 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.
Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 8/5 oak: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 8 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
spice 6/5 spice: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 6 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 4 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 3 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 6 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 4 out of 10, Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- 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.
- Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond: A bonded 100-proof bourbon at a price that barely seems possible, though distribution is patchy outside Kentucky. Unremarkable in the best way: it does everything a bourbon should and nothing extra.
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.
- Go with Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded Kentucky bourbon for under twenty dollars, if you can find it in your state with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Russell’s Reserve 10 Year); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond).