- Russell’s Reserve 13-Year Bourbon will be back in Summer 2025 after a year-long break, now bottled at its highest proof yet — 123.8 — making it the boldest release to date.
- The 2025 edition features richer flavor notes, including vanilla, brown sugar, cherry, and a new cola undertone, along with a robust oak character from extended aging.
- All future releases of Russell’s Reserve will feature seasonal and year-specific labeling for easier identification. Its suggested retail price is $200.
In the world of bourbon, few families are more respected than the Russells. Known for his commitment to crafting bourbon the traditional way, master distiller Jimmy Russell has led Wild Turkey Distilling since 1954. His son and co-master distiller, Eddie Russell, is also a bourbon hall of famer and the creator of the Russell’s Reserve line of bourbon and rye whiskeys. Eddie’s son, Bruce, was also recently promoted to the role of associate blender.
No Russell’s Reserve expression embodies the family’s whiskey-making ethos better than the barrel-proof 13-year expression. After a year-long absence, the distillery is reintroducing this fan-favorite whiskey.
First released in 2021, the unfiltered, barrel-proof Russell’s Reserve 13 quickly became a favorite among bourbon enthusiasts. After a break in 2024 to focus on the award-winning 15-year-old expression, the limited edition Russell’s Reserve 13 is set to return to retail shelves later this summer.
“Russell’s Reserve 13 has become a tradition in its own right. Each time we bring it back, there’s a chance to let the whiskey shine in a new way,” Eddie Russell, master distiller at Wild Turkey Distilling, tells Food & Wine. “This year’s higher proof amps up the flavor. Those dark fruit and brown sugar notes come through strong, with a bold finish our fans have come to expect.”
Courtesy of Campari America
The 2025 Russell’s Reserve 13 is bottled at 123.8 proof, which is its highest proof point yet. According to Russell, the bourbon promises to deliver classic dessert-like flavors and aromas, featuring notes of vanilla, brown sugar, and cherry, along with a substantial oak character from the extended aging. “I think you’ll find some new cola notes that make this release stand out,” Russell says.
The 2024 edition of Russell’s Reserve 13 will be available at liquor stores, online, and at Wild Turkey’s visitor center for a suggested retail price of $200. The Spring 2025 release and all subsequent releases will now be labeled with the year and season in which they were released for easy identification.
Fast Facts: Russell’s Reserve 13
ABV: The Spring 2025 edition of Russell’s Reserve 13 is bottled unfiltered and undiluted at 123.8 proof. Previous bottlings were at 114.8 proof, making this the highest proof point for the label to date.
Maturation: Russell’s Reserve 13 is aged for a minimum of 13 years in Wild Turkey’s historic warehouses throughout Kentucky. The exact warehouses where this whiskey was aged remain undisclosed.
Availability: The distillery has not disclosed the actual number of bottles available, but Russell’s Reserve 13 will be a limited-time offering.
MSRP: $200
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