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Russell’s Reserve 15 Year vs Bulleit Bourbon
Put Russell’s Reserve 15 Year next to Bulleit Bourbon and you have a full-proof, unfiltered heavyweight set against a sourced, high-rye blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Russell’s Reserve 15 Year | Bulleit Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | 15 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV) +27 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$250 – $400 | ~$25 – $32 ~$297 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- 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
Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
One of my favorites.
Bulleit Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Russell’s Reserve 15 Year Bulleit Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 9/5 oak: Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 9 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
heat 7/4 heat: Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 4 out of 10
sweetness 7/5 sweetness: Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 7 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- 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.
- Bulleit Bourbon: The bottle that put high-rye bourbon in every cocktail bar in the country. Peppery and dry with the familiar MGP dill note, and it earns its place behind the bar more than in a glass on its own.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Russell’s Reserve 15 Year if you want a very old, oak-heavy Wild Turkey for slow sipping with significantly more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Bulleit Bourbon if you want a dry, peppery, high-rye bourbon built for cocktails and available absolutely everywhere at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat (Russell’s Reserve 15 Year); old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Bulleit Bourbon).