Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof Bourbon Whiskey / 2025
The Stats
- Distillery: Wild Turkey Distillery
- Location: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
- Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Age: 13 Years
- Proof: 123.8 (61.9% ABV)
- Mash Bill: 75% Corn / 13% Rye / 12% Malted Barley
- Release: Spring 2025 Limited Release
- Price: $200 MSRP
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Russell’s Reserve 13 isn’t just another limited release. It’s a modern classic that’s been quietly building legend status since its debut. After a full year off in 2024, it’s finally back and not just back, but louder. Bottled at 123.8 proof, this is the highest-proof Russell’s 13 ever released, and a clear signal that this year’s edition is doing its own thing.
Originally introduced in 2021 by Eddie Russell as a tribute to his father, Jimmy Russell, Russell’s 13 was born from a simple idea: stop blending older barrels into the 10 Year and let 13-year Wild Turkey bourbon stand on its own. The first release hit hard with fans, earning near-mythical status almost immediately. Releases followed in 2022 and 2023, then silence. In 2024, Russell’s 13 disappeared, replaced by a limited 15-year stand-in.
Now, in 2025, it returns; older in reputation, bolder in proof, and noticeably different in character.
A Legend, Turned Up
This year’s Russell’s 13 leans less on dusty oak nostalgia and more on bold flavor intensity. It still feels unmistakably like a Russell’s Reserve bourbon, but the higher proof shifts the balance. The result is a pour that’s powerful, expressive, and layered, less about recreating past glory and more about exploring what the profile becomes when you turn the volume knob.
It’s not trying to be the same bottle you remember.
It’s trying to be its own chapter.
Tasting Notes
Aroma
The nose opens with dark fruit right away. Cherry, baked stone fruit, and a rich vanilla note wrapped in oak. It’s classic Wild Turkey at its core, but remarkably restrained for the proof. No ethanol punch. Just a soft, balanced entry. As it opens, the fruit evolves, giving way to leather, maple syrup, and earthy undertones. Sweet and rustic notes trade places, creating a nose that’s deep, patient, and endlessly sniffable.
Taste
The first sip lands with authority. Warm spice hits immediately, followed by toasted caramel and rich vanilla. The higher proof shows, but it’s flavor-forward rather than aggressive. Mid-palate, brown sugar and maple sweetness build alongside earthy notes, leather, light tobacco, and a hint of dark chocolate. It’s bold, full-bodied, and complex, with the sweetness and spice staying in lockstep rather than competing.
Finish
The finish is long, warming, and satisfying. A gentle dryness creeps in, likely from the age, but it never tips into bitterness. Spice lingers, joined by chocolate and a subtle chili-pepper tingle right at the back end. It’s a finish that hugs instead of burns; strong, confident, and very much in control.
Artfully Bourbon Rating
9 / 10 - Excellent
Russell’s Reserve 13 (2025) delivers an explosion of flavor and complexity that lives up to the name, even if it takes a slightly different path than earlier releases. The higher proof shifts the focus away from heavy oak and into fruit, sweetness, and spice, creating a profile that feels bolder and more expressive, if a touch less dusty and contemplative than past batches.
It may not be “lightning in a bottle” for those chasing the oak-forward magic of earlier releases, but it’s still a standout bourbon. Rich, layered, and endlessly engaging. At a $200 MSRP, it’s not a casual buy, but for fans of Russell’s Reserve and Wild Turkey’s best work, this one earns its place.
If you like this, also try: Wild Turkey Rare Breed. It carries a similar bold, spice-driven DNA with less age but a familiar warmth and punch that Russell’s fans tend to love.
