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Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel vs Bulleit Bourbon
Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel and Bulleit Bourbon sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a blender-built, rye-forward bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel | Bulleit Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 110 proof (55% ABV) +20 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$25 – $32 ~$34 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Bulleit Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Bulleit Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 8/5 oak: Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 8 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
heat 7/4 heat: Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
spice 8/7 spice: Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 8 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 7 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel: Non-chill-filtered single barrels at 110 proof, and the format that store picks have made a cult of. Concentrated Wild Turkey character with a texture the standard bottlings do not have.
- 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 Single Barrel if you want concentrated Wild Turkey character with single-barrel variation and real texture with more proof behind it.
- 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, old-fashioned (Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel); old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Bulleit Bourbon).