Russell's Reserve Rye

I just bought a bottle of this ($29.99 at Binny's) and am drinking it now. I like it a lot; clean, with spearmint and black pepper, and a surprisingly sweet cotton-candy finish.

But here's a curious thing. I've examined the bottle carefully, even the hang tag, and the name Wild Turkey appears nowhere. The official statement on the back label says Austin Nichols Distilling Company, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, USA.

There you go. Russell's Reserve has become a full-out line extension. I suspect before too much longer the name will disappear from the bourbon package too.

Hey Chuck.....It's $24.99 here in Texas. I also find its taste very clean and spicy, almost "bright", not muddy at all. Makes a good Manhattan too.

Randy

Hey Chuck? how would you say it compares to the WT Rye 101 (current)? I think Tim or Randy posted some old school WT Rye found recently but I've never seen any of those.

Tony

OOPS! Thanks for the notes.

I just tasted this tonight for the first time, imagine that they have it at the bar in the Adams Mark hotel in St. Louis, and it is marvelous stuff! I don't know if it just the fact that I was tasting it for the first time or what, but this stuff shows complexity way beyond what I expected from a "6 year" old Rye.

A spicy entry with a sweet candy fruit finish. yummy!

Has anyone seen this in California yet?

Aside from Handy, I've no other open bottle of everyday rye.

:drinking: ...mmm, rye.

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Originally Posted by jinenjo

Has anyone seen this in California yet?

Aside from Handy, I've no other open bottle of everyday rye.

:drinking: ...mmm, rye.

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I looked Lear right before I came back to StL and didn't see it anywhere so I doubt it's made its way out yet...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jinenjo

Has anyone seen this in California yet?

Aside from Handy, I've no other open bottle of everyday rye.

:drinking: ...mmm, rye.

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You call Handy an "everyday rye"??:bigeyes:
Holy crap I love the stuff, but I want it to last!

Scott

OK, someone has to break up this love fest and be cranky. I had a pour recently at a big whiskey tasting here in Boston. It was perfectly fine, nothing wrong with it, but nothing great to make me need more either.

I like the younger ryes like WT Rye-101 and Baby-Saz for their bright sparkle and youthful fruitiness. I also love the older ryes like Sazerac and VWFRR for their age, richness, power, and complexity.

I found the RR rye-90 to fall into a middle ground that does not interest me. It was old enough to loose that youthful sparkle and start to dull and flatten out a bit, but not old enough to pick up richness and complexity.

Not a bad rye, but I don't personally care for middle of the road. Young and older whiskies have their own unique positive attributes, but this in-betweener doesn't seem to have the positives of either end, and doesn't show me anything particularly amazing at middle age.

Perhaps WT should show us a 12yo rye...

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Originally Posted by HighTower

You call Handy an "everyday rye"??:bigeyes:
Holy crap I love the stuff, but I want it to last!

Scott

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Clarification, Scott.

I meant to say I have no open bottle of an "everyday" rye. :grin:

BTW, I called Ed at Ledger's Liquors in Berkeley and he told me the "numbers are in" but the WTRRR has not hit the distributors yet.

Looks like Handy is my not-nearly-everyday-Rye.