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W.L. Weller Special Reserve vs Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
W.L. Weller Special Reserve and Russell’s Reserve 15 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, wheat-forward classic versus an undiluted barrel-strength pour.
Key Specifications
| Feature | W.L. Weller Special Reserve | Russell’s Reserve 15 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 15 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV) +27 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$30 – $60 ~$280 less | ~$250 – $400 |
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve and Russell’s Reserve 15 Year do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
One of my favorites.
Flavor Profile
W.L. Weller Special Reserve Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 4/9 oak: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 9 out of 10
spice 2/6 spice: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 2 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
heat 3/7 heat: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve: The entry point to the Weller line and an easy introduction to wheated bourbon. Soft honey and vanilla with almost no rye bite, a bread-dough body, and a short, sweet finish that asks nothing of you.
- 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.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with W.L. Weller Special Reserve if you want the softest, sweetest, most approachable wheated pour of the group at a significantly lower price point.
- 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.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (W.L. Weller Special Reserve); neat (Russell’s Reserve 15 Year).