EddieRussell

Wild Turkey Distillery Tour: A Russell’s Reserve Immersion Experience

/ bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

Tour Date: September 12, 2024 10:00am
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Our long-awaited first tour of Wild Turkey was finally here! Arriving in the parking lot and seeing the gorgeous visitor ahead let me know this was really happening!

Check in was simple. The lady who checked us in hinted that we might want to visit the bottle shop before the tour as they had the Jimmy Russell 70th Anniversary bottles available but they had a specific allotment for the day. She also said that she could hold our purchases for us. We know how to take a hint! This also gave us an opportunity to explore a bit.

The visitor center is absolutely beautiful. No detail was overlooked.

Born from the Barrel – Russell’s Reserve Immersion In-depth Russell’s Reserve Rickhouse Experience

Tour Description: Pull back the curtain on Kentucky craft whiskey excellence and discover the art of barrel maturation that has been perfected by our Master Distiller Eddie Russell. We invite you to go behind the scenes with us for the Born from the Barrel Russell’s Reserve Immersion, a 60 minute in-depth look at where and how the award-winning Russell’s Reserve is made. The tour includes a visit to one of our oldest and most iconic timber rickhouses where you’ll learn about the impact of environmental aging and the importance of center cut selection for our acclaimed small batch and single barrel whiskeys.

We were excited to learn that Bo would be our guide. We had met Bo on prior visits and knew he was a wealth of knowledge as well as passionate about all things Wild Turkey. Follow him on Instagram: firebirdbo. He provided a brief overview of what we would be doing and then invited us to board the bus.

We arrived at Rickhouse A – their oldest, built in 1894. We enjoyed the view outside of the rickhouse while Bo shared historical information about Wild Turkey, the property, and the rich distilling history of the area.

Once inside, we learned more history about their operations, the rickhouse, and how Jimmy, Eddie, and Bruce came into the organization. We have been in many rickhouses but this one simply felt special. Of course, it smelled amazing with 130 years of angel’s share permeating the wood! These pictures don’t do it justice but they do provide some context of being there.

Russell’s Reserve Tasting

The tour concluded with a guided flight of Russell’s Reserve products. The pours were outstanding and it was the first time either of us have tasted a Russell’s Rye or the 13-year-old. Wow!

Taking it All In

Following the tasting we got a drink to take outside and enjoy the patio area. A truly beautiful day! We kept hoping that if we stayed long enough, Jimmy Russell would arrive. Thus, we went upstairs to their bar for a small bite and met two great guys from NY – Ben & Ben – father and son. Bourbon people are the best!!!

We decided that we should head back to Bardstown. Slightly bummed that there wasn’t an opportunity to congratulate Jimmy on his 70th but thrilled with our day at Wild Turkey!

Gift Shop

Our most exciting bottle to acquire was the 70th Anniversary one. We did a neat pour of it while there and it is outstanding!

Distillery Trail Statistics

We originally visited Wild Turkey May 23, 2023. Unfortunately, it was still on shut-down for renovations and were not able to engage in a tour. We did enjoy the gift shop and chatting with people who work there. It was our 46th distillery and our 39th stamp on the KBT Signature Trail and we knew we would return once full tours were available.

We visited again February 23, 2024 and were able to meet and visit with Jimmy Russell. It was a dream come true to have the opportunity to visit with him on that day.

For this third visit, we were thrilled to experience the Born from the Barrel Russell’s Reserve Immersion Tour. It was our 142nd distillery experience.

Happy Trails!
Rebecca & Wayne

All photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer unless otherwise noted.

July 2024 Wild Turkey Triumph Tasting

/ bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

July 25, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer 

Wayne and I have been wanting to open this bottle and finally found a moment to relax and enjoy a pour. “Crafted with Conviction” by Eddie Russell, this year’s limited release of Master’s Keep – Triumph – is a passion project at Wild Turkey. This release is a nod to Eddie’s son, Bruce, Associate Blender at Wild Turkey and someone with a passion for rye. At 10-years old, this is the oldest age-stated rye ever released by Wild Turkey.

Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already.

Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Triumph – Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

Mashbill – 51% Rye, 37% Corn, 12% Malted Barley
Age – 10 Years
Proof – 104
Price Paid – $275 (plus tax and shipping)

Appearance – Copper. Legs are somewhat slow to form but very substantive when appear.

Aroma – Initially, it is light and not very distinct. As it opens and the nose acclimates, a lot begins to happen. There is a sweetness often reminiscent of bourbon with vanilla and crème brûlée. Then the rye components of mint, allspice, and cloves drift into the aroma. Finally, there is a hint of light fruits such as apples and pears with a touch of nutmeg. It is quite a journey just on the nose!

Tasted Neat –  Much like the nose, tasting requires several approaches to allow the flavor profile to touch each part of the mouth. It shifts and turns with each sip. The viscosity, as indicated by its legs, really provides a wonderful mouthfeel and the texture coats the palate very pleasantly. There is a lovely sweetness of honey, vanilla, and baked apples or pears. The flavors transition to deeper notes of dark chocolate, brown sugar, dates or possibly figs. The barrel notes come forward with oak and baking spices.

Finish – The finish is very long and lingering. Wood notes are dominate with oak and black pepper. However, there is also a light mint sensation to lighten up the otherwise darkness of the finish. It is certainly a journey!

Tasted with dried cranberry – At first sip, it became a spice bomb of red hot cinnamon. However, it calmed down to release a hint of citrus on the front and a brighter, but still a spicy finish.

Tasted with a pecan – This is interesting as it brought the wood notes very forward with dark chocolate and mint. Still a spicy finish but more along the line of ginger.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Wow, this became a chocolate desert drink, almost like Mexican Hot Chocolate with cinnamon.

Discussion and Final Notes

Perhaps it is the length of time in the barrel, the 37% corn, or the specific barrel selections, but this rye tends to waiver between a bourbon and a rye experience. As such, it would be a great pour for someone who hasn’t regularly enjoyed a rye whiskey.

That aside, this is an outstanding rye whiskey. With a 51% rye mashbill, the rye spices and rye grass notes don’t hit you upside they head; instead, they dance around and play with your nose and palate. As noted above, the journey it takes you on is an incredibly pleasant one and one that has a surprise around every turn.

Overall, I’m glad that we were able to get a bottle at MSRP directly from Wild Turkey. This is a wonderful addition to our Wild Turkey collection as well as our rye options.

Cheers,
Rebecca & Wayne

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Spirit Requirements

Rye Whiskey Basic Requirements – Rye whiskey must be made from at least 51% rye. It must be distilled at 160 proof or less.  It then must be placed into a new, charred oak container at a proof of 125 or below. Straight rye whiskey is a subcategory of rye whiskey that has been aged for at least two years in new, charred oak barrels and doesn’t contain any additives. If aged less than four years, the label must include an age statement. In addition, to be Kentucky Straight Whiskey, it has the additional requirement that it must be produced and aged at least 1 year in the state of Kentucky. For additional information on bourbon requirements, please read this post – Rye Whiskey.

NOTE: The whiskey in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producers for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.

June 2024 The Barons of Whiskey Tasting

/ bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

June 6, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer 

“The Barons of Whiskey” was a group of men that helped make Kentucky bourbon legendary, ushering in bourbon’s golden age more than 100 years ago. Wayne and I recently enjoyed a tasting of two of the three: Bond & Lillard and W.B. Saffell. Unfortunately, we have been unable to locate Old Ripy.

These are two of the three Barons of Whiskey line: Bond & Lillard anad WB Saffell.


Bond & Lillard was a trusted name in the pre-Prohibition whiskey industry. It was first distilled by John Bond in what was then called, Cedar Run, KY now known as Anderson County, in 1820. A veteran of the American Revolutionary War, Bond moved his distilling operation closer to Lawrenceburg, KY after the war. The brand gained international attention in 1904 when it won the Grand Prize at the St. Louis World’s Fair for its flavor, strength, and appearance.

W.B. Saffell pays tribute to William Butler Saffell, who began distilling as a teenager and built his first distillery in 1889. This bourbon is inspired by the delicate spirit he produced at the time and is the first in the collection to have legendary Master Distiller Eddie Russell working on the spirit.

Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already.

Bond & Lillard Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Mashbill – 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Age – Non-age-stated; reportedly aged at least 7 years
Proof – 100
Other – 375 ml bottle
Price Paid – $59.94

Color – Honey Amber

Aroma – Lemon zest, honeysuckle, vanilla, toffee, cardamom. 

Tasted Neat – Lemon zest, green apple, honey, cardamom with a cinnamon finish. 

Tasted with dried cranberry – Toasted oak, citrus gone, white pepper finish. 

Tasted with a pecan – Citrus returned, honey forward, and quite oaky. 

Tasted with dark chocolate – Green apple returned, sweetness is more of a caramel, slight oak. 

WB Saffell Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey


Mashbill – 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Age – Non-age-stated; reportedly blends of 6, 8, 10, and 12 years
Proof – 107
Other – 375 ml bottle
Price Paid – $58.85

Color – Light Amber and Copper

Aroma – Sweet and rich. Dark caramel, molasses, nutmeg, and apricot.

Tasted Neat – Caramel, vanilla, maple syrup, dark chocolate, baking spices. The finish is long and warm with caramel, bits of citrus, cinnamon, and black pepper. 

Tasted with dried cranberry – Butterscotch with pepper on the back. 

Tasted with a pecan – Creamy, smooth, pepper is gone. 

Tasted with dark chocolate – Sweet butterscotch, very creamy. 

Discussion and Final Notes

Bond & Lillard smells and tastes like summertime. With the lemon zest and honeysuckle on the nose, and even its golden hue, it invites you to enjoy it in the sunshine. As you dive into it, your senses really linger on the citrus, green apple, honey, and floral notes while surprising you with a nice cinnamon finish.

W.B. Saffell is rich, creamy, and incredibly flavorful. When thinking of seasons, this screams Fall Festival. The aromas of dark caramel, molasses, nutmeg, and apricot urge you to give it a try. One taste and you are not disappointed as the caramel opens up to include vanilla, maple syrup, and dark chocolate. Its long and warm finish is amazing with pops of caramel, citrus, and then cinnamon and black pepper.

Each expression is unique and worthwhile. We certainly enjoyed them and recommend each as a nice addition to your collection.

Cheers,
Rebecca & Wayne

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Spirit Requirements

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Such whiskeys have all the requirements of bourbon: Made in the U.S, distilled at <= 160 proof, barreled at <= 125 proof, aged in new, charred oak containers, bottled at >= 80 proof.

Straight bourbon means it is aged at least 2 years (and must have an age statement if less than 4).
In addition, to be Kentucky Straight Bourbon, it has the additional requirement that it must be produced and aged at least 1 year in the state of Kentucky.

For additional information on bourbon requirements, please read this post – Bourbon Whiskey.

NOTE: The bourbons in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producers for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.