Compare
Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof vs Booker’s
Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof and Booker’s sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an undiluted barrel-strength pour versus an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof | Booker’s |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 13 years +6 yr | 7 years |
| Proof | 123.8 proof (61.9% ABV) | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$200 – $300 | ~$85 – $110 ~$153 less |
- Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof and Booker’s do not publish an official mash bill.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
Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Booker’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof Booker’s
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 3/8 nuttiness: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 3 out of 10, Booker’s 8 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 6 out of 10, Booker’s 4 out of 10
heat 8/10 heat: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 8 out of 10, Booker’s 10 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 8 out of 10, Booker’s 7 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 6 out of 10, Booker’s 7 out of 10
oak 8/8 oak: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 8 out of 10, Booker’s 8 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof: Thirteen-year Wild Turkey at full barrel proof, uncut and unfiltered. Cola, molasses and fruit cobbler sit on deep, charred oak, and each release carries its own proof.
- Booker’s: Uncut, unfiltered Beam at batch strength, and the most concentrated expression of the house peanut-and-oak character. Enormous and hot, with a finish that goes on well past where you expect it to stop.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof if you want an old, uncut Wild Turkey with cola, cobbler and serious oak with an older age statement.
- Go with Booker’s if you want the Beam house style at full power and you have water on the table at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat (Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof); neat (Booker’s).