Bottle Banter:
Can Jimmy and Eddie Russell really do no wrong?  I’ve been at this for longer than I care to admit and I will, with full disclosure, mention that my introduction to the “Bourbon Abyss” was my love affair with Wild Turkey 101– a stalwart and versatile base offering that plays well neat, with mixers or on ice.  It also happens to be my “go to” whiskey base for crafting all kinds of cocktails based on a proof and mash that shines through the “stuff” keeping the spotlight on the juice.  So maybe the answer is “No, they really can’t” and that’s ok!  Their notoriously limited mash-bills and “KISS” attitude towards the craft makes their products “not for everyone” but as I sort of said previously: it just hits where it should on my palate.

This expression comes from their legendary “Tyrone’s Rickhouse K” used for their private barrel program, and it apparently is known for the profiles it creates based on Mother Nature’s blessing, that sparkle with a wide spectrum– from thick molasses to zingy citrus and everything in between.  Therefore, I go into this tasting with high hopes and an eager palate.

Whiskey Description:
Russell’s Reserve: Private Barrel Selection
Hand Selected Barrel by Dodd’s Wine Vault, Colorado
Barrel No.:  23-0049, Warehouse TY-K, Floor 4, Distilled: 10/01/14, Bottled:  6/11/24 for Dodd’s Wine Vault, Age Statement: 9 years, 55% ABV, 110 proof

MSRP:
$79

About the Distillery and Mashbill:
Their bourbon mash is stated at 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley, and I'm always amazed when a well-balanced expression playfully delays the rye component to the finish, this being a perfect example.  Here is when I would usually add a few drops of water to molecularly release some other layers but in all honesty, I’m so happy with where this sits that I’m gonna pass on it.  That is to say that I kind of want to stay in this groove and save that for another sitting at another time.  It does not drink to its proof based on expansive flavor profile and silky mouthfeel.

Conditions:
Fresh crack, antique tulip shaped whiskey glass, rested for 20 minutes

Appearance:
Pale, shimmering sunset / rust, languorous intermittent legs

Aroma (nose):
Medium, sugary maple candy, cherries, chocolate banana, toast, faint Meyer lemon

Taste:

• Initial - soft on the palate, burst of rock-candy and cherry cola

• Mid Palate - leather with some baking spice

• Finish - pink peppercorn, and some minty sweet rye with a warm but not overheated “hug” that lingers for a deliciously long time, as one would expect from a high-end expression

• Ice Melt - Would this hold up to an ice-melt?  Probably, but I don’t wish to go there presently with this expression as it’s already exceedingly rich yet delicate.  Maybe I would feel guilty or need therapy of some kind. . .

Final Thoughts:
No surprise here. . .the Russell’s are legends for a reason: they produce some of the greatest juice on Earth, and this expression captures the Russell tradition in all of its glory.