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Russell’s Reserve 15 Year vs Four Roses Small Batch Select
Put Russell’s Reserve 15 Year next to Four Roses Small Batch Select and you have a full-proof, unfiltered heavyweight set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Russell’s Reserve 15 Year | Four Roses Small Batch Select |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | 15 years +9 yr | 6 years |
| Proof | 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV) +13 proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$250 – $400 | ~$55 – $65 ~$265 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.
Four Roses Small Batch Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Russell’s Reserve 15 Year Four Roses Small Batch Select
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 9/6 oak: Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 9 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
fruit 6/8 fruit: Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 8 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 7 out of 10
heat 7/6 heat: Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 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.
- Four Roses Small Batch Select: Six recipes, non-chill-filtered, at 104 proof, and the most complete thing Four Roses makes at a normal price. The house fruit character with enough proof and texture to carry it.
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 more proof behind it and with an older age statement.
- Go with Four Roses Small Batch Select if you want the fullest expression of the Four Roses fruit-forward style without chasing an allocated bottle at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat (Russell’s Reserve 15 Year); neat, rocks (Four Roses Small Batch Select).