Russell's Reserve 13-Year-Old Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Original 114.8-Proof Release)

Name: Russell's Reserve 13-Year-Old Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Original 114.8-Proof Release)
Brand: Wild Turkey
SKU: 721059003094
Price: 749.95 USD
Availability: InStock

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$749.95

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Age: 13 Years | Region: Kentucky | Proof: 114.8

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Russell's Reserve 13 Year is Wild Turkey's most chased modern bottle — a 13-year Kentucky straight bourbon bottled uncut and non-chill filtered at 114.8 proof. This is the original release, introduced in June 2021 for Eddie Russell's 40th year and re-released through 2023 at the same 114.8 proof. Every bottling of this era wears an identical label, so collectors tell them apart by the laser date code etched into the glass.

The Elemental Distinction

The bottle that made Russell's Reserve a collector name. Introduced June 2021 for Eddie Russell's 40th year at Wild Turkey, the 13 Year went from line extension to one of the distillery's most sought-after releases almost overnight.
114.8 proof, bottled uncut and non-chill filtered — the strength every release of this original era carried, and a figure that let Eddie keep all the barrel's natural character.
Aged at least thirteen years, but the blends reach far deeper: the 2021 launch married thirteen-year bourbon with nineteen-year stock, and a 2022 bottling drew on barrels as old as twenty years.
Wild Turkey's standard bourbon recipe — 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley — so what carries this whiskey is age and barrel strength, not an unusual grain bill.
Every bottling of the 2021–2023 era wears an identical label. The only way to tell which one you have is the laser date code etched on the base of the bottle.
Launched around $70 and climbed toward $150 over its run, with secondary prices well beyond that — one of the hardest Wild Turkey bottles to find at shelf.

Sensory Profile

The profile the original 114.8 release is known for — carried as a composite of attributed reviews and the distillery's own launch description, not a single tasting note: a barrel-proof bourbon of dried dark fruit and charred confectionery over honey, chocolate and nougat, with a long, warming finish. Critic Fred Minnick, quoted at the reintroduction, called it power and elegance in a single glass.

A caveat that matters for this release: because the 2021–2023 bottlings are separate marryings under one label, reviewers who taste them side by side do find batch-to-batch differences — some leaning oakier, some sweeter. Treat any single, specific flavour list for "Russell's 13" as describing one date-code bottling rather than the whole run.

Strategic Position

On the barrel-proof bourbon vault at Midnight Whiskey this is the one that started it — the original 114.8-proof Russell's Reserve 13, the runaway hit that turned a line extension into one of Wild Turkey's most chased bottles. It runs ahead to the higher-proof 2025 release at 123.8 and the current 2026 release at 121.2 — the point where Wild Turkey began printing a unique proof on every bottling.

Technical Specifications

Distillery	Wild Turkey Distilling Co., Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Master Distiller	Eddie Russell
Class	Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, barrel proof
Release	Original 114.8-proof release (2021–2023)
Proof / ABV	114.8 proof (57.4% ABV)
Strength	Barrel proof, non-chill filtered
Age	13 years (minimum)
Mash bill	75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley
Format	750 mL
Region	Kentucky, USA

Collector Note

The original Russell's Reserve 13 is a set of related bottlings rather than a single release, and for collectors that is the whole story. Between April 2021 and May 2023 Wild Turkey put out several markedly different marryings under one identical 114.8-proof label — enthusiasts track them by the laser date code on the base of the bottle (for example LL/JD for April 2021, LL/KE for May 2022, LL/LE for May 2023). The blends vary: the first reached into nineteen-year stock, a later one into twenty-year barrels, and reviewers rate them differently as a result. Two things to know before paying up. The date code is the only reliable identifier — the front label will not tell two apart — and the price history runs from roughly $70 at launch toward $150 by the end of the run, with the secondary market well above that. The 2025 and later releases are a separate matter: from 2025 Wild Turkey began printing a unique proof and season on each label.

Recommended Serving

Neat, in a Glencairn, and give it a few minutes. Reviewers are near-unanimous that this is a pour to drink undiluted — 114.8 proof is generous but not punishing, and ice or mixing buries exactly the deep, barrel-driven character the bottle is bought for. A little air lets the dark fruit and confectionery notes open before the oak settles in. If you have more than one date code on the shelf, a side-by-side is the honest way to see how much these original bottlings actually differ.

Production Methodology

Russell's Reserve 13 is distilled at Wild Turkey in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, from the distillery's standard bourbon mash bill — 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley — the same recipe behind the wider Wild Turkey range. Eddie Russell built the 13 Year by selecting barrels aged at least thirteen years and marrying them into a barrel-proof, non-chill filtered bourbon, keeping the strength where the barrels landed rather than proofing down and leaving the whiskey unfiltered to retain its full body. The original era, from June 2021 through 2023, held that strength at 114.8 proof across every bottling, though the barrels behind each marrying differed — some reaching well beyond the minimum into nineteen- and twenty-year-old stock.

Authentication & Vault Preservation

Every bottle sold through Midnight Whiskey is sourced as an authentic, sealed product and inspected before it ships. Orders are packed with padded, glass-rated handling and require an adult signature (21+) on delivery; we do not ship to anyone unable to verify legal drinking age. For our full sourcing and handling protocols, see our editorial and authentication standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

What proof is Russell's Reserve 13 Year?

The original release is bottled at 114.8 proof, or 57.4% ABV, at barrel strength and non-chill filtered — the figure every bottling from June 2021 through 2023 carried. Note that this changed with later releases: from 2025 Wild Turkey began bottling the 13 Year at a different, unique barrel proof each year and printing it on the label, so a 2025 or 2026 bottle will not read 114.8.

How do I identify which batch of Russell's Reserve 13 I have?

For the original 2021–2023 releases, by the laser date code etched into the base of the bottle — the front labels are identical, so the code is the only reliable marker. The two letters after the prefix encode the month and year of bottling; enthusiasts use them (LL/JD, LL/KE, LL/LE and so on) to distinguish the several marryings Wild Turkey released at 114.8 proof. From 2025 onward it is simpler: each release prints its own unique proof and production season directly on the label.

What is the mash bill of Russell's Reserve 13 Year?

It uses Wild Turkey's standard bourbon mash bill — 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley — the recipe behind the distillery's core bourbon range. What sets the 13 Year apart is not the grain but the age and the strength: a marriage of barrels at least thirteen years old, some considerably older, bottled uncut and non-chill filtered.

Shipping information

Adult Signature Required: Federal law requires an adult (21+) with a valid government ID to sign for all deliveries. Carriers cannot leave alcohol unattended.

Processing Time: Most orders process within 1–8 business days. You will receive a tracking number via email as soon as your bottle ships.

Insured Shipping: We strongly recommend electing Shipping Protection at checkout. Midnight Whiskey is not liable for loss or damage once in the carrier's possession unless insurance is purchased.

Restrictions: We ship only within the permitted U.S. states and cannot deliver to P.O. Boxes or U.S. Territories.

All Sales Final: Due to alcohol regulations, we cannot accept returns for change of mind.

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