Is Russell’s Reserve Bourbon and Rye Made by Wild Turkey?

Russell’s Reserve is one of the most popular and acclaimed super-premium whiskey brands on the market today. With exceptional bourbons and ryes earning rave reviews and cult followings Russell’s Reserve has become a staple brand for whiskey aficionados. But is Russell’s Reserve actually made by the iconic Wild Turkey Distillery? Let’s take a closer look at the origins and history behind Russell’s Reserve.

The Russell Family Legacy

Russell’s Reserve is deeply intertwined with the legendary Russell family, who have defined American bourbon for decades through their work at Wild Turkey. It all starts with Jimmy Russell, the revered Master Distiller who joined Wild Turkey in 1954 and pioneered bourbon-making techniques still used today.

After learning for decades directly from his father Jimmy, Eddie Russell eventually joined Wild Turkey in 1981. Eddie Russell honed his skills over nearly 20 years alongside his father before releasing Russell’s Reserve in 1998 as a tribute bourbon for Jimmy’s 45th anniversary at Wild Turkey. This began the Russell’s Reserve brand.

Honoring Bourbon Traditions at Wild Turkey

While crafting Russell’s Reserve, Eddie Russell worked entirely within the walls of the Wild Turkey distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Using his family’s traditional processes and mashbills, Eddie set out to create a bourbon that embodied the Russell family’s legacy, bottled under its own special brand.

Russell’s Reserve bourbons and ryes are made according to time-honored techniques passed down through generations at Wild Turkey:

• Small batch crafting for consistent flavors in every bottle
• Using Wild Turkey’s high-rye mashbill for spicy, full-bodied bourbons
• Barrels hand-selected by Eddie Russell for optimal aging and character
• Non-chill filtering for deeper, richer whiskey complexity

The Russell family’s esteemed, long-running career at the Wild Turkey distillery is deeply ingrained within Russell’s Reserve. It honors the family’s traditional processes and expertise in bourbon-making.

Russell’s Reserve Expands from Wild Turkey

Originally launching with a 10-Year Old bourbon, Russell’s Reserve steadily grew over the decades to become Wild Turkey’s super-premium line:

• Russell’s Reserve 6 Year Old Rye – Released in 2007 and the first rye whiskey from Eddie Russell. Aged for a sweet spot of 6 years.

• Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon – Launched in 2003 to critical acclaim. 110-proof and non-chill filtered.

• Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Rye – 104-proof single barrel rye added to the portfolio in 2015.

• Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Old – Ultra-aged bourbon launched in 2021, demonstrating Russell’s Reserve’s capabilities.

As Eddie Russell innovated new brands under Russell’s Reserve, each expression still adhered to the Wild Turkey’s quintessential processes and standards set by his father Jimmy.

Verdict: Yes, Russell’s Reserve is Made by Wild Turkey

While Russell’s Reserve operates as its own distinct brand, every drop is crafted at the Wild Turkey distillery by Master Distiller Eddie Russell. He uses the same mashbills, yeasts, barrel-entry proofs and aging warehouses as Wild Turkey’s core whiskey brands.

Russell’s Reserve is an offshoot brand founded in honor of the Russell family’s legacy at Wild Turkey. It expands Wild Turkey’s offerings while upholding the distillery’s traditional bourbon-making processes.

• Russell’s Reserve was created by Eddie Russell inside the Wild Turkey distillery as a tribute to his father Jimmy.

• Every expression uses Wild Turkey’s recipes, methods and standards set by Jimmy Russell.

• The Russell family’s history and expertise at Wild Turkey is foundational to Russell’s Reserve.

• It operates as Wild Turkey’s super-premium brand while maintaining the distillery’s traditions.

For these reasons, Russell’s Reserve bourbon and rye is undoubtedly crafted by the team at Wild Turkey. The Russell family’s intimate involvement with Wild Turkey can be tasted in Russell’s Reserve’s exceptional flavors and refined quality. So while it’s a different brand name, Russell’s Reserve is very much a Wild Turkey product through and through.

Russell’s Reserve: Excellence from a Bourbon Dynasty

Russell’s Reserve exemplifies how dedication to time-proven bourbon traditions can result in some of the finest American whiskeys. Staying true to their Wild Turkey roots, Eddie and Jimmy Russell have built Russell’s Reserve into an esteemed, consumer-beloved brand renowned for quality and taste.

The Russell family’s passion and adherence to diligent craftsmanship shines through in each bottle of Russell’s Reserve. Their expertise and intimate involvement is why Russell’s Reserve is regarded as one of the pinnacles of American whiskey. For devotees of Wild Turkey or any lover of exquisite bourbon, Russell’s Reserve is absolutely worth exploring.