Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Rye Whiskey 104 Proof

Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Rye Whiskey 104 Proof is Wild Turkey’s one-cask Kentucky rye from Lawrenceburg: each barrel bottled at 104 proof and non-chill filtered after aging in No. 4 alligator-char oak. The mash is the distillery’s rye recipe — rye with enough corn that vanilla and caramel ride with the pepper. Eddie Russell bottles this rye at 104 because that strength keeps sweetness in the sip; the unfiltered oils are the creamy texture. This is a weeknight pour.

Lemon, vanilla, and orange peel lead, then pepper, honey, and tobacco fill a creamy sip with ginger and caramel. The finish is medium-long: pear, peppercorn, and toasted wood. At 104 proof it drinks sweeter than a hotter rye, with herbal spice still standing out on the palate.