OT: Anyone ever tried Russell's Reserve13

[Jeffreauxdawg]

Just walking through the liquor store at lunchtime and saw these two bad boys at $65. I know they are limited release and highly prized so I snagged them.

I like 10 yr Russell's Reserve, but don't necessarily keep a bottle around. I am thinking I break one open and send the other for a gift (a nice gift) if I don't like it. Is it worth the hype?

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[Seinfeld]

Haven’t tried that one, but I am starting to get really interested in these barrel proof and cask strength varieties. For the longest time, I’ve been a huge fan of Knob Creek 9 yr single barrel because of its flavor, smoothness, and the fact that it’s 120 proof. However, it’s been hard to find lately, so I’ve started reading up on some other options.

Angel’s Envy has one that I’m dying to try if I can find it

 

[ScoobaDawg]

Just walking through the liquor store at lunchtime and saw these two bad boys at $65. I know they are limited release and highly prized so I snagged them.

I like 10 yr Russell's Reserve, but don't necessarily keep a bottle around. I am thinking I break one open and send the other for a gift (a nice gift) if I don't like it. Is it worth the hype?

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Hello Friend... Yes. it's very much worth it. well if you like Russell's. that is.

 

[ScoobaDawg]

Haven’t tried that one, but I am starting to get really interested in these barrel proof and cask strength varieties. For the longest time, I’ve been a huge fan of Knob Creek 9 yr single barrel because of its flavor, smoothness, and the fact that it’s 120 proof. However, it’s been hard to find lately, so I’ve started reading up on some other options.

Angel’s Envy has one that I’m dying to try if I can find it

Sadly KC caught onto the hype of all the store picks being 12 to 15 years old and decided to jack up the price, water it down to 100 proof, and put their own labels on it.
12 year is the best to me. 9 is too young. 12 year cask strength (hard to find but its 120 instead) is freaking amazing.

Which Angels Envy are you looking for.. the regular bourbon or the rye?

 

[Dawgbite]

Every time you take a sip, your mind will return to the Russel uniform of States past.

 

[MS-halfstep]

Haven't had that one either and doubt that I'll be able to find it up here. But 13 years and barrell proof...that's a no brainer in my book.

 

[Raiderdawg.sixpack]

Agreed.

If you like Russell’s and Wild Turkey, you will really like this.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

Good deal. I will report back. Probably going to wait until the weekend to break into it.

 

[Fktdawg]

Just walking through the liquor store at lunchtime and saw these two bad boys at $65. I know they are limited release and highly prized so I snagged them.

I like 10 yr Russell's Reserve, but don't necessarily keep a bottle around. I am thinking I break one open and send the other for a gift (a nice gift) if I don't like it. Is it worth the hype?

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Elijah Craig 18yr!? Or
Grab the Stagg Jr in the back or McKenna 10 year.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

I'm not that lucky... That's my cabinet, not the shelf at the store.

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[Bulldog Bruce]

I have a McKenna I'm saving for a special occasion also.

 

[mcdawg22]

Crops the picture just so we can see the McKenna, for the second time this week. You can’t find that **** around here anywhere.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

The McKenna 10 is available at times around here... Never seen the Russell 13 in person anywhere before. $600+ online.

If you really want McKenna 10, you can find it online for $50-70 from all kinds of places. I can't ever find Michter's and buy it for $45 a bottle from Blackwell's Wine online.

 

[Seinfeld]

I was researching the Russell’s last night after seeing your post, and as soon as I saw the going prices, I thought holy hell… did Joe really just drop $1500 on a couple bottles of this stuff?

Then I went back and saw your original post and realized that you swiped them for $65. That’s incredible

 

[Seinfeld]

The regular bourbon. I read that the 2020 batch will be coming out in November, and I don’t know how much it normally runs, but it’s been hard to find an earlier version for under $400 lately

 

[mcdawg22]

I'm not that lucky... That's my cabinet, not the shelf at the store.

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Honest question, how do you stop the liquor fairies from coming to drink all your booze? I take a sip then next thing I know I wake up on the couch and all of it is gone.
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[Jeffreauxdawg]

I live in a socialist liquor state. Pros and cons of the state owning all of the liquor stores, but everything is always sold at MSRP or less. I use online sellers to fill in the gaps on stuff l can't find (for whatever reason Buffalo Trace sits on the shelf like it's bottled water, but the state gets 0 Weller special reserve.)


Have a lottery coming up in November which will be my first one. Lots of goodies up for grabs

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[Jeffreauxdawg]

You don't have a drinking too much problem, you have a buying too slow problem.

 

[hatfieldms]

Yeah it’s crazy how everything is distributed. I live in Memphis and weller special reserve is on the shelf on a regular basis around here. Once a month all liquor stores In my area get plenty of it

 

[ScoobaDawg]

You don't have a drinking too much problem, you have a buying too slow problem.

I agree. Probably scored 3/4 of these in last 9 months.
Just killed these two last Saturday.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

Lol. You have the same problem I do. You drink the good **** and leave the cheap stuff sitting there. Those look like full Benchmarks on the top shelf.... Respect for the Glencairns.

 

[ScoobaDawg]

Lol. You have the same problem I do. You drink the good **** and leave the cheap stuff sitting there. Those look like full Benchmarks on the top shelf.... Respect for the Glencairns.

I share it with friends. Those have lasted a long time. And I wouldn't call anything on my shelf hardly cheap.. If there's one problem I have is I skipped anything "cheap" since I prefer higher proofs.
I would buy EC 18 again if I could. But if I ever got another cypb I would flip it. It's not that special.
But I'm keeping my eht sib

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

What's this on the top? Looks like Benchmark.

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[ScoobaDawg]

What's this on the top? Looks like Benchmark.

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Benchmark Single Barrel and Bonded. Had the chance to get Angels share and one other. But those 3 are by the best. Full proof is way better than the other two though.
I keep them around because they are solid drinkers for the sub $30 price and most people have no idea they are a BT product.

next to that is a BT club pick and on the left is a riverset juke joint that is a BT tornado barrel.

 

[Raiderdawg.sixpack]

McKenna seems to always be on the shelf here. You can pick it up in The NE Atlanta burbs right now for ~$50. Seems that and Buffalo Trace is always on the shelf.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

Gotcha... I have never seen the Benchmark's other than the plain label. So, I agree. No cheap **** on your shelf.

I know it's the same mash bill and all, but damn. Those extra 4-5 years of aging make all the difference in BT vs regular Benchmark. I can't even mix it with stuff. Benchmark tastes like somebody poured fermented Cheerios into my Buffalo Trace. I had to throw half a bottle out early this year. I would be interested in trying the BIB. The extra year and 25% increase in alcohol have to be a big improvement.

How do those specialty Benchmarks compare to just regular BT? Seems like standard BT aged 7-8 years minimum according to "sources" would be better than all of the Benchmark line (3-4 years), no?

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

Yeah. That's real nice. Well done Eddie or Jimmy... Whichever one of you decided a 13 year old barrel proof would work out. Well done indeed. Keeping both bottles.

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[hatfieldms]

Trying the Blue Note Crossroads tonight for the first time and like it a lot

 

[TaleofTwoDogs]

Thanks for reminding me, I'm going to call Russell right now to see if Miss Reserve is working tonight. Her pic is in IMPP's post today.