russell's reserve 15-year

After a handful of unsuccessful attempts to snag this bottle, including a 2-hour rush hour odyssey to a Phoenix staple to discover they were snatched up an hour and a half prior, I was handed a mystery glass at Nana's Kitchen in Tucson and instructed to taste, slowly and carefully. Instantly I was met with the older age bourbon flavor profile that I live for: Rich, bold leather and sharp cigar leaf tobacco. What I was drinking was jammy and robust. I was asked how much I would pay for a bottle of it, which is a question that is never not influenced by whatever disdain I might be feeling toward the unsavory state of the bourbon market I happen to be feeling at the time. My answer was $175.

Perhaps this is an effective strategy to point out the trappings of my own Turkey zealotry, since Russell's Reserve 15 was what was in the glass and my initial, jaded approximation of its value was just over half its suggested retail value. But as I said, the answer to those questions absent all context bear the burden of my mood. And, well, we can agree (or maybe agree to disagree) that the context is important. After my first pour knowing what I was drinking, without the responsibility of guessing and while reading the details of the expression, I valued it higher. After my second pour, I valued it higher still.

What is there not to value? What we have here is a 15-year bourbon distilled and aged by a legacy distillery and (one can only imagine) meticulously curated by a decades-long veteran master distiller. Not for nothing, but Jimmy's name is also on the bottle. The barrels were hand-selected from the mythical Camp Nelson rickhouses, batched, and cooled down to a precise proof point. Anyone is free to call it controversial that this offering isn't true "barrel proof," and as a fellow proof hound, I'll call that fair. However, I also recognize that I don't have half a percent of the expertise Eddie Russell has, so I'm content to leave those decisions to him.

My thesis here is that when I shoveled over $300 after tax and a leisurely trip down to Tucson for my first bottle, it didn't take long for me to accept that it was worth every penny. When the opportunity arose to exchange a small town's worth of Buffalo Trace bottles that should be shelf-available for a backup bottle, it was like asking if Schumacher or Nolan did the better Batman: Not even a question.

I've rambled plenty, let's get into what this paragon of bourbon actually tastes like.

Nose Astonishingly complex. Black cherry syrup drizzled over robust cigar leaf. Blackberry jam. An undercurrent of bold, aged oak that grows in intensity as the glass breathes.

Palate While not present initially, the most noteworthy flavor on the palate is a spiced tobacco flavor that blooms on the deep palate especially. Clove and coriander are present with an intensity reminiscent of the final third of a cigar. On the front and mid palate, there is a dark and luxurious cherry note. It is jammy on the tongue. This is perhaps the most mature palate of any bourbon I've tasted: Bold, viscous, complex. For those who enjoy a sweeter bourbon, there are even whispers of dark honey and a rich molasses type sugar, such as demerara.

Finish Clove follows through and blooms alongside a spicy cinnamon. The finish shows the age as well with a remarkable leathery aftertaste that gives in a beautiful, enduring stamina.

Notes For once, my verbosity has reached its absolute upper limit. Other than what I've left here, I don't have the words. This bourbon is euphoric top to bottom. A tour de force for Wild Turkey and a masterpiece of bourbon in general.