Russell’s Reserve Eddie’s Pick vs. North Raleigh Bourbon Club | Bourbon Review
Russell’s Reserve
Russell’s Reserve Eddie’s Pick vs. North Raleigh Bourbon Club
There are bourbon comparisons.
And then there are comparisons where one of the barrels was personally selected by Eddie Russell.
That changes things a little.
For this episode of Tortured Bourbon, B and Heather put a bottle of Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel “Eddie’s Pick – March 2026” against a Russell’s Reserve Private Barrel Selection chosen by the North Raleigh Bourbon Club.
One barrel was selected by a Master Distiller who has spent decades tasting whiskey at Wild Turkey.
The other was selected by a bunch of bourbon drinkers from Raleigh.
So naturally, B’s first thought was:
We can take him.
Heather was less convinced.
Welcome to Tortured Bourbon.
What Is Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon?
Russell’s Reserve is one of the signature bourbon lines produced within the Wild Turkey family.
Named for legendary distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell, Russell’s Reserve has become particularly popular with bourbon drinkers because of its emphasis on mature whiskey and barrel character.
Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon is bottled at 110 proof — 55% ABV — and non-chill filtered.
But the real fun begins with the Russell’s Reserve Private Barrel Selection program.
Instead of blending whiskey from multiple barrels to create a consistent flavor profile, a private selection comes from one specific barrel.
That means warehouse location, floor, maturation conditions and the individual barrel itself can dramatically influence what ends up in the bottle.
Two bottles may both say Russell’s Reserve.
They may both be 110 proof.
They may use the same basic whiskey recipe.
And yet they can taste surprisingly different.
Which brings us to Eddie.
Russell’s Reserve “Eddie’s Pick – March 2026”
This particular Russell’s Reserve barrel wasn’t selected by a liquor store or bourbon club.
It was chosen personally by Master Distiller Eddie Russell.
Barrel Information
Selected by: Eddie Russell
Distilled: November 28, 2017
Dumped: March 27, 2026
Age: 8 Years
Barrel: #26-0142
Warehouse: TY-E
Floor: 4
Proof: 110 Proof / 55% ABV
Filtration: Non-Chill Filtered
That immediately made the bottle interesting to us.
Eddie Russell has spent more than four decades working with whiskey and barrels at Wild Turkey.
So when Eddie tastes through barrels and decides one deserves to stand by itself, we want to know what he tasted.
Unfortunately for Eddie, B also had another bottle.
Enter the North Raleigh Bourbon Club Pick
The challenger was another Russell’s Reserve Private Barrel Selection, this one selected by the North Raleigh Bourbon Club.
And this is exactly why private barrel bourbon is so much fun.
The question wasn’t whether Russell’s Reserve makes good bourbon.
We already know what family we’re dealing with.
The question was whether a group of serious bourbon drinkers could select a barrel that competed with — or possibly beat — one selected personally by Eddie Russell.
In other words:
Can the club beat Eddie?
There was only one scientifically responsible method available.
Pour both.
Russell’s Reserve Eddie’s Pick Tasting Notes
The Eddie Russell barrel immediately gave us the kind of profile bourbon drinkers often associate with mature Wild Turkey whiskey.
On the nose we found notes moving through:
Brown sugar, vanilla bean, baked apple, charred oak and toasted almond.
The palate became richer.
Caramel and dark honey brought the sweetness before cinnamon, leather, dried cherry and oak tannin started pushing through.
The finish hung around with:
Clove, dark chocolate, oak and toffee.
At 110 proof, there is plenty of intensity, but the whiskey still allows the individual barrel character to show itself.
And that’s the whole point.
This doesn’t taste like a bourbon engineered to be exactly the same every time.
It tastes like this barrel.
Eddie Russell vs. North Raleigh Bourbon Club
This comparison also reminded us why bourbon barrel picks have become such a major part of bourbon culture.
When you buy a standard bourbon release, the distillery is generally trying to maintain a recognizable house profile from batch to batch.
With a single barrel bourbon, that safety net disappears.
The barrel gets to speak.
One Russell’s Reserve barrel might lean heavily toward caramel and vanilla.
Another might show more spice.
Another may bring huge oak.
Another could have cherry, tobacco, leather or darker sugar notes.
And occasionally you find the barrel where everything simply works.
That is what bourbon groups, retailers and distillers are chasing when they taste through private selections.
Does Eddie Russell Automatically Win?
That would make for a pretty boring episode.
More importantly, bourbon doesn’t really work that way.
Eddie Russell has vastly more experience selecting whiskey than B, Heather, or basically anyone sitting around most bourbon club tables.
But tasting is still subjective.
A barrel Eddie finds especially interesting may not perfectly match another drinker’s preferences.
Someone who loves huge oak may prefer one barrel.
Someone chasing sweetness may prefer another.
Someone who wants classic Wild Turkey spice may land somewhere else entirely.
That is why putting these bottles next to each other is much more interesting than simply drinking Eddie’s bottle by itself.
We’re not asking:
Is Eddie’s Pick good?
We’re asking:
Which Russell’s Reserve barrel would we actually want to pour again?
That is a much tougher question.
And considerably more fun.
Why Russell’s Reserve Private Barrel Picks Matter
For bourbon drinkers who want to dig deeper than standard releases, private barrel selections provide a fascinating look at how maturation changes whiskey.
Same distillery.
Same bourbon family.
Same 110 proof.
Completely different barrel.
That single variable can change the entire drinking experience.
It’s also why we always recommend paying attention to the information printed on private barrel bottles.
Look at the:
Warehouse
Floor
Barrel number
Selection group
Age
Distillation and dump dates
Over time, you may start discovering patterns in the Russell’s Reserve barrels you enjoy most.
And yes, that can create an entirely new bourbon-buying problem.
We accept no responsibility.
So… Can the Club Beat Eddie?
You’ll have to watch the episode for the full Tortured Bourbon verdict.
Because picking a winner without hearing B and Heather argue about it would defeat the entire purpose of this operation.
What we can say is that comparing Eddie Russell’s personal barrel selection against a North Raleigh Bourbon Club Russell’s Reserve pick produced exactly the kind of tasting we love.
Two bottles.
One distillery.
Two individual barrels.
And absolutely nowhere for either bourbon to hide.
That’s single barrel bourbon at its best.
Watch the Full Tortured Bourbon Review
Watch B and Heather taste Russell’s Reserve Eddie’s Pick March 2026 against the North Raleigh Bourbon Club Russell’s Reserve Private Barrel Selection and decide which bourbon deserves the win.
And yes.
B genuinely believes he has a chance against Eddie Russell.
Heather is still processing that.
We suffer through bourbon so you don’t have to.
— Tortured Bourbon
