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All of us at the Andover Whiskey Society are big fans of Wild Turkey and Russell's Reserve. Near the end of 2021, Russell's Reserve produced a Single Barrel, or "Private Barrel" selection. We had been searching for this limited choice for many months, but to no avail. We looked all over the internet but every vendor was sold out. The thought of finding it here in NJ seemed a lost cause. A few times I thought I found a vendor, but even if they did have it in stock, they couldn't ship it to NJ.
Last week, I stopped into ShopRite Wines & Spirits for a Labor Day party and low and behold, there was one bottle! ShopRite Wines & Spirits was one of the store picks and the search for the "Unicorn" ended. The bottle we purchased was aged nine years and was barrel #21-0632 from Warehouse F. We opened it that night and it was certainly different from any other Wild Turkey or Russell's Reserves we had prior.
On the nose, you were hit with an abundance of fruits, and our group noted blackberry, licorice, and cherry. Amazingly, at 110 proof, there was no heat whatsoever. The dark berries really burst right in your mouth. While the initial search ended, we now yearn for another bottle, hoping to notice any differences from the warehouse locations. If you can find one, don't hesitate to purchase it as it was one of the top 5 bottles our group has enjoyed.
