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Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof vs Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year
Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof and Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an undiluted barrel-strength pour versus an old-guard, classically built classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof | Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 13 years +6 yr | 7 years |
| Proof | 123.8 proof (61.9% ABV) +24 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$200 – $300 | ~$35 – $45 ~$210 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 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
Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 8/5 heat: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 8 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 8 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 6 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 6 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 3 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10
spice 6/5 spice: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 6 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10
oak 8/7 oak: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 8 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- 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.
- Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year: Seven years, bonded, and priced sensibly — the specification sheet reads like something from twenty years ago. Balanced and oak-leaning without ever getting heavy.
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 and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year if you want a bonded, age-stated Kentucky bourbon that gets the fundamentals right for under forty dollars without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat (Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year).