Russell's Reserve 13 Year Bourbon (2022 Release)

She pulls this clutch one out of the closet! So good. Only like a half ounce but sweet, lingering heat but not bad. Lives up to the hype.

Took me a hot minute to open this bottle, but the up front TLDR - it was worth the wait... While I'd nipped this at a bar before, this is one to enjoy with plenty of time. The nose is instantly vibrant...and unmistakably Turkey, but in a good way. Plenty of caramel, wet oak, fruits (apple and berry), and a yeasty funk on the edges that rounds it out well, but this nose has some power, and while unnecessary, a couple of drops opens it up just a bit while not making any major changes. Flavor is also nice...a bold pour that like the nose, feels very 'Turkey' from start to finish. Plenty of sweet fruits, caramel, vanilla, and barrel up front that turns into a very dry oak before a roller coaster ensues...plenty of heat, bursts of sweet caramel, and an incredibly long, and enjoyable finish. If I'm nitpicky, this is a bit heavily oaked, and definitely feels like it has some age to it. It doesn't turn offensive or over-oaked, but I can see how this would be a bit much for some. I actually found this to be an excellent pour that is probably being bottled at the right point in its lifespan...and the nose and finish are the show... Worth the price? At MSRP, yes? Worth the chase - probably...this one kind of fell into my lap, and I'm quite happy it did...