2026 Russell's 13 Year Bourbon Review: A Celebration of Eddie Russell's 45th Anniversary with Wild Turkey Distillery
“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
Few people in life truly understand the pressure of having to live up to the legacy of a legend. Growing up under Jimmy Russell, perhaps the most stubborn yet incredibly effective master distiller of all time, and still deciding to go to work for the Wild Turkey distillery had to take guts. Also, going in knowing that your dad was not going to give you an inch of nepotism and still showing up first and leaving last every day only proves just the kind of guy Eddie Russell is. One thing was assuredly clear: if he was going to make it in the whiskey industry, he was going to have to earn it. As I have researched, tasted, and followed this distillery for more than a decade now, it's incredible how each generation of the Russells have forged their own path, and I'm happy to share more of Eddie's story with you today.
When Eddie Russell first started at Wild Turkey, he worked every job the distillery offered, from receiving corn to bottling to everything in between. Floors need sweeping? "Get in there," Jimmy would say, and Eddie would do it, no questions asked. Learning the importance of every single step in distillation would be something that Jimmy would drill into him. There was only one way: the right way, and that was Jimmy's way. It's the reason Wild Turkey still only has one bourbon and one rye mash bill to this day. It's proof that you don't need to be constantly changing things when you have the conviction and expertise that comes with decades of distilling prowess passed on from father to son. There is one variable, however, that turns out to be infinitely adjustable. Time.
When you listen to the experiences Eddie shares in "His Own Way: The Eddie Russell Story," you hear the moment the distillery crew stopped looking at him as just 'Jimmy's boy' and when he finally started to earn the respect of the team. He recalls the moment he got invited up by shift supervisor Hayes Mattingly for the week's end thieving of some sugar barrels—those being the really good ones where time in oak has proved magical, and the employees quietly work down a little extra angel's share when shift time is up. Getting the nod to go thieving with the rest of the crew is proof he was earning his chops and still showing up every day trying to learn more. It was during one of these thieving expeditions that Eddie would learn of his preference for the middle floors of the Wild Turkey rickhouses, an area of maturation that would ultimately lead to a subtle difference in flavor preference that you can taste through the whiskey crafted by each of the generations of the Russell family.
There are levels to dedication. There's the pride and accomplishment that comes with successfully finishing a marathon, graduating with honors in college, or even winning whiskey of the year, but Eddie Russell takes dedication to a different level than all of that. He showed up for 29 years, day in and day out, before he earned the right to be inducted to the Bourbon Hall of Fame. Of course, on that night it was Jimmy doing the honors. It would be another 5 years yet, a whopping 34 years with Wild Turkey, before he earned the highest distinction he could hold: the title of master distiller. And Eddie earned it. He learned every step that went into making their whiskey and was finally ready to share the role with the legend himself.
Today, Eddie continues to serve the role of master distiller alongside his dad, sometimes getting a nod for a special project such as the whiskey under review today: Russell's Reserve 13 year bourbon. This is a barrel proof, non-chill filtered whiskey that serves as a commemoration of the 45 years that Eddie has now spent with Wild Turkey, and you can watch the short documentary that accompanied its release below.
It was during a stroll through the rickhouse with his son, Bruce Russell, reflecting on the subtle differences between their palate preferences that they spotted an 18 year bourbon distilled in 2007, likely sitting on one of those middle floors that Eddie loves. They rolled it out, tasted it, and decided that it was a sure fit for this year's 13 year expression. It's worth noting that a master distiller wears many hats. In fact, if every single employee at the distillery decided to take a sick day on one specific day all together, the master distiller is probably the only person in the operation that could keep the whole thing going all on their own. Another hat the master blender wears is blending, working barrels from many different rickhouses across several distinct locations to create something that is better than the sum of its parts. That is no small task, but the task that Eddie was challenged with for the 2026 release of Russell's 13 year. While he's already thoroughly proved himself to his dad and his distilling team at this point, can he continue to impress longtime whiskey enthusiasts with his blending prowess? Let's dive in for a full review of Eddie's latest creation to find out.
Company on Label: Wild Turkey Distilling Company, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Whiskey Type: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
Mash Bill Percentages: 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley
Proof: 121.2° (60.6%)
Age: 13 years
Buy Online: Frootbat
Further identification: Released in Spring of 2026 in commemoration of Eddie Russell's 45th Anniversary with Wild Turkey
Nose: On first lifting the glass to my nostrils, I'm instantly in love with the bold old funk of a Wild Turkey rickhouse—all thirteen years of oak breaking down under the weight of 115 proof distillate on full display to my senses. Another inhale shows off more delicate undertones: toffee, molasses, and coffee ice cream are all deep, rich, and inviting. Long inhales produce hints of cherry cordial, salted caramel, and lignin breakdown, leaning in on the sweet depths of vanillin and syringaldehyde. After a long rest, aromas of roasted almonds and a complex array of wood spices land gently and enjoyably in the nose. Long inhales lean more towards vanilla bean ice cream. Overall, it's a funky, fun, and thoroughly enjoyable whiskey to pick through patiently.
Coming back from a sip, the reinvigorated aromas spread a long, lingering smile across my face as I recognize a truly great whiskey. Barrel funk, caramel, marshmallow, and graham cracker all come together in the perfect bourbon medley. Smelling deeply late in the glass offers simple nostalgia: a distant memory of a grade school science class, a long bus ride out to an almost-summer field trip—all the things that made us are inherent in all the things that made this whiskey. Slight tropical tones sneak in at the 11th hour, giving me unexpected esters that remind me of good rum and coconut shavings. As my pour winds down to its final drops, I find the deep aromas of a working woodshop: raw lumber being worked into pieces, shavings, dust, and entropy. I couldn't think of a better way to spend an hour than with my nose nestled into this glass right here.
Palate: My first taste is a delight to every sense. My taste buds light up like the first flash of the Christmas tree fully decorated. Cherry cordial zips across first, leaving a trail of oozing sweetness mixed with molasses, raisin, and rich pipe tobacco. The mouthfeel is creamy and delightful, like the perfect bite from an ice cream sundae. Another sip is just as perfect on the delivery as the first, with more nuance yet. Almond Joy rolls into pear liqueur before finishing with cherry pie, offering a complex depth I couldn't have even dreamed of on the first sip, but the nose certainly alluded to it already. As I continue to work through this pour, it only gets better with time. Angel food cake meets strawberry sorbet and manages to get into even more trouble as creamy tiramisu joins the fray. While the chocolate tones are subtle and more in the background, they're certainly in play as their influence builds upon my growing admiration for this bourbon. Subsequent sips never falter. Delightful cherry tones greet me at every corner, giving an air of comfort, while rich, freshly brewed coffee elevates the experience to a post-dinner rest at a white tablecloth restaurant with someone you love. At every sip, this whiskey is undeniably excellent, offering rich depth, easy-to-find flavors, and a lingering wave that inspires deep thought, memory, and introspection. This is what good sipping whiskey is all about right here. It rests delicately on the middle of the tongue, spreading slowly towards the edges before spilling over in creamy toffee delights, then finishing like a blown bubble with the rising sweetness of a German riesling that excites the entire mouth. My last sip is as delicious as the rest, finishing with salted crackers, black pepper sopresatta, and just a hint of grape.
Empty glass: Aromas of jasmine, lavender, and honey dance in the empty glencairn. This has been a divine experience from start to finish.
TL;DR: The Russells have done it again with yet another perfect 13 year bourbon
Rating: 5/5
What an exceptional bourbon. The way this presents the rich depth of deep barrel influence without the sometimes overbearing detritus of becoming over-oaked is just incredible. With this release, Eddie Russell has proved himself anew, as he has for decades with Wild Turkey. He's once again earned my respect and also my appreciation for making some damn good whiskey "the right way."
As I reflect on this release a little further, I think 13 years may just be the sweet spot for Wild Turkey distillate at their current barrel entry proof. That 18 year barrel in here, while I'm sure was delectable on its own, really doesn't show through in the same overbearing way I thought the 15 year expression did. Perhaps that was due to the aging location in this instance, a favored cut from the center of the rickhouse that only the Russells know about. Honestly, this blend could have possibly been a more fitting tribute for the Austin Nichols Archives release. I personally find more parallels between this whiskey and the original cheesy gold foil than that 16 year blend ultimately achieved. If in the years to come, we get a chance to increase our sample size on this front, I certainly won't be complaining.
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