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.

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.

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.