The Muscles From Russell’s
Some of you may have more pleasant memories than this, but when we catch a glimpse of a bottle of Wild Turkey, it sends me either into a catatonic trance with murmurs of “the horror, the horror” a la one of Marlon Brando’s best scenes from “Apocalypse Now” or fits of collegiate convulsions in a more direct re-enactment of the last time I had Wild Turkey – in college. So it’s a very good thing that even though everybody knows it belongs to Wild Turkey, it’s best that this particular branch of the bourbon tree at Wild Turkey World Domination HQ in Kentucky is disguised as Russell’s Reserve. At least it sounds much more personable and less likely to rip your face off after one drink.
There are two Russell’s Reserve bourbons I tried – a sort of tag-team triple proof twins – the 190-proof 10-Year and the 110-proof Single Barrel. Normally, there is an expectation of a butt-kicking that is about to happen whenever the proof numbers get into the Bugatti range [which I think scientists have determined to be 175 and upward], but the Russell’s Reserve 10-Year, which was the first bourbon of the two tasted, was actually a pleasant surprise. It quite graciously left the roof of my mouth still firmly attached and did no harm to any part of the esophagus – well, at first, anyway. The initial tastings of the Russell’s Reserve 10-Year went down quite smooth – one might even be so bold as to say creamy or syrupy. Okay, maybe that is the bourbon talking – or the Wild Turkey marketing team disguised as the bourbon and then taking over my soul and talking – but it is categorically the truth of the matter. There was a distinct nutty and creamy element that reminded me of one of those nut creams you get in the Walt Whitman chocolate samplers by mistake. It’s not what you expected, but it’s still pretty good. That being said, after the second and third sip, the beast was awakened and there were some definitely detectable battles going on in the windpipe between the forces of fire and not-fire. Still, all-in-all, I would recommend giving a shot [pun fully intended] to Russell’s Reserve 10-Year no matter what happened to you during college.
It’s Kentucky Derby time this weekend and you are going to need a suitable bourbon to spice up your mint juleps – if you’re going to have a proper Kentucky Derby party anyway. That bourbon probably should not be Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel as the 110-proof brethren of the 10-Year is not as smooth. In fact, the Single Barrel is more akin to the Wild Turkey I remember from college and probably more like the box that houses the chocolates than anything inside of it. The taste was fiery from the get-go, somewhat prickly even, and certainly capable of clearing out your nasal cavity of any obstructions or even removing some of your toothy cavities as well. Although I feel the best use of the Single Barrel is to be left by the side of the road and used for fire ant exterminations, I can detect noticeable moonshine elements to it that would appeal to a certain hillbilly demographic and therefore – there is a market for this stuff in the finest strip clubs where it can be passed off for elite bourbon to a clientele that will readily accept that pretense.
So use Russell’s Reserve 10-Year for your Kentucky Derby mint julep party while you’re debating whether to go with Orb or Fear The Kitten – because, really, how many titles can Rick Pitino win this year?
Color – Amber for both
Nose – Musky and aromatic for 10-Year, fiery and dangerous for Single Barrel
Taste – Nutty and creamy for 10-Year, lighter or embalming fluid for Single Barrel
Alcohol – 190 proof [90%] for 10-Year, 110 proof [55%] for Single Barrel
Price – $30 for 10-Year, $45-50 for Single Barrel
WC Rating – 7.5 for 10-Year, 3.7 for Single Barrel
