Bourbon Review: Russell's Reserve 10 Year

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Capn Jimbo
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Bourbon Review: Russell's Reserve 10 Year

Post by Capn Jimbo »

Russell's Reserve 10 Year: "Vanilla Custard"...


I have no business reviewing a bourbon - well maybe a little - as I do often have a dram, but strictly for enjoyment. This was so enjoyable that I felt obligated to share:

Russell's Reserve was a crystal clear rich amber with a thin green edge of age. It grabbed me from the get go - a vanilla forward nose, with a spray of spice and cinnamon, medium color fruits (particularly a deepish orange) over a background of leather. So much for the descriptors. It's the development and harmony that counts.

This lush introduction then transitioned to a deceptively light sweet honey, thence to a full honeyed and consistent fruity mid palate - brimming with a now deep orange and perhaps a bit of dark bing cherry. All the while a dry leather is approaching, finally emerges and takes over to transition to a lovely sweet/heat finish - black and white pepper, nice and hot! I was left with a lip lickiing sweet thick aftertaste that - voila - saw also the return of the vanilla custard.

I really liked the development of this one. Consistency is good, but not when a spirit flat lines, with the same impressions from beginning to end. Nope, the consistency of which I speak is where the elements are presented in the nose, but the palate then reveals them in a more interesting fashion. Russell's Reserve is one smooth but interesting such development from vanilla custard sweet fruit, to light honey, rich syrupy fruit, to a dry leather and thence to a spicy hot finish, and back again.

Now that is remarkable. This is a spirit that absolutely will appeal to rum lovers. I would urge you to spend time with this one - at least 20 minutes - as the vanillan nose grows into a breathtakingly rich vanilla custard that trust me, is simply entrancing. You could nose this one all day. This is a spirit taster's spirit to me.


Score (10 is best): 8 (9 if it was a rum).
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