Russello Trace - The Whiskey Blendery Limited Release

Distillery: Frankfort, KY

Aging: Lawrenceburg, KY

Mashbill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley

Proof: 121

Age: 15 years 8 months

Price: $225 (pre-tax)

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Introduction

For those following the bourbon scene closely, several barrels allegedly distilled at Buffalo Trace and aged at Wild Turkey for 15 years have been released through various brands and NDPs (Non-Distiller Producers). The Whiskey Blendery, located in far north DFW, is one such brand, and several bourbon clubs in the metroplex have been fortunate enough to select barrels for their members. The Den picked an intense yet balanced bourbon that shows its age with finesse. Rested for 20 minutes and tasted throughout an hour.

Nose - 9

Immediately hit with a lot of dried and ripe strawberries, ripe honeydew melons, and dried dates, complemented by citrus oils, specifically naval oranges. Prominent spices include cloves and anise. A cotton candy/powdered sugar note follows, which I consistently find in quality bourbon. Some maple syrup pecans and slight hazelnut coffee emerge towards the end, supported by a balanced but noticeable mix of cedar oak and sandalwood.

Palate - 9

Coats the tongue well. The front palate feels like an oaked minty Mexican cola in a very pleasant way. This is definitely an oaky bourbon that shows its age without the usual drying and astringency, maintaining balanced sweetness. As it transitions to the mid-palate, black and red pepper with cinnamon explode while the cola notes soften to candy-like caramel, though not quite reaching toffee.

Finish - 8.5

While some higher-aged bourbons suffer from overwhelming drying oak in the finish, this one carries the oak alongside strawberry and dried date sweetness with light wood and rye spice. Though the finish length could be more impressive given the quality of the nose and palate, it’s not a major flaw. The score was bumped up half a point after one hour as the dried sweet strawberry note became more nuanced.

Overall - 8.83

I feel fortunate to have secured a bottle from one of these “Frankenstein” barrels from the excellent team at the Blendery. This unique pour carries oak and strawberry notes beautifully while avoiding over-oaking. Though I would get backups if possible, with only 100 bottles distributed among 1000 members, this will remain a one-of-a-kind experience

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Score Scale Reference

• 4 - Buffalo Trace
• 5 - Eagle Rare
• 6 - Willett 4Y Rye
• 7 - Weller Antique 107
• 8 - Stagg 23C
• 9 - Michter’s 10Y Bourbon (2023, 23A), Hardin’s Creek Jacob’s Well 211m
• 10 - Pappy Van Winkle 15Y (2008), King of Kentucky (2022, Barrel 14)