Cigar Pairing: Russell’s Reserve 1998

 Here's hoping Jimmy Russell never retires. Each time that Wild Turkey debuts a new Bourbon aimed at honoring its long-time master distiller—who's now tallying 61 years at the company—we are all winners. Russell's Reserve 1998 is the latest edition and one of the only knocks against it is that's it too rare, coming from only 23 barrels that produced 2,070 bottles.

The new whiskey, at 15 years old, continues to push the outer limits for Wild Turkey aging. The company released the 17 year old Master's Keep earlier in the year, which was the oldest Wild Turkey ever sold in the United States. Russell has said that he tends not to age longer than 12 or 13 years because of the intense conditions that Bourbon typically matures in. Both these whiskeys proved exceptions.

The Master's Keep spent some time aging off-site in a cooler stone warehouse. (Wild Turkey's timber facilities are covered in tin.) Russell's son Eddie, named as co-master distiller in January, concurs with his father's opinion that Bourbon can get too dry and woody after 13 years. However, he carefully monitored the barrels for Russell's 1998 to ensure that they retained their vanilla and caramel charms and determined that they hit their "sweet spot" at 15 years.

The standard Russell's Reserve Bourbon, first released in 1999 to commemorate the elder Russell's 45th year on the job, is bottled at 10 years of age. (There is also a six-year-old Russell's Reserve Rye.) The new 1998, distilled in that year, differs in proof as well. The original Russell's Reserve also strayed from Jimmy Russell's favorite 101-proof standard, down to 90 proof. The latest release slightly outstrips even 101 at 102.2 proof.

The strongest Russell's Reserve, however, is the Single Barrel Bourbon at 110 proof. Like the Single Barrel, the 1998 version is also not chill filtered. A commonality among all whiskeys in the Russell's Reserve portfolio is the use of barrels with the deepest No. 4, or alligator, char.

The company's literature on the new release points out that 1998 also marked the introduction of the iMac. Perhaps a more telling coincidence is that 15 years is also record life span for Meleagris gallopavo, the avian creature called wild turkey.

Russell's Reserve 1998 (102.2 proof, or 51.1 percent alcohol by volume; 15 years old; $250 a 750-milliliter bottle)

APPEARANCE: Deep caramel color; fat, slow legs.

NOSE: A flash of fruity hard candy transforms into toffee and roasted nuts, before drifting off with aromas of vanilla and the wood on a baseball bat.

PALATE: Again, it starts out with fruit—this time with honey, candied pears and banana. About when you wonder if it will be a one-trick pony, loads of caramel, toffee and barrel flavor appear. The whiskey then flirts with charred nuts before showing its spicy side with cinnamon, clove and a bit of ginger.

FINISH: A long, indelible finish that permeates the entire mouth with encores of the palate as well as a soft, menthol ending.

CIGAR PAIRING: Villiger Talanga Churchill (Nicaragua, 7 inches by 50 ring gauge, $8.50, 90 Points, Cigar Aficionado/December 2015) A heavy smoke that begins with generic earth, spice and sweetness, but becomes gradually more sophisticated, leaving precise impressions of mesquite, puffed rice and nutmeg on the palate. We were intrigued that both cigar and whiskey exhibit a buildup to their overall flavors, and the combination did the same as well. The whiskey helped the cigar along by enlivening its spices, including cinnamon and licorice. The Villiger also attained its earthiness and nuance much quicker. The bonus was a bit of graham cracker flavor on both. The Russell's Reserve was lifted sooner into its caramel and vanilla notes and became heartier and smoother in the transaction. An interesting meander through a plethora of flavor.


Resource :-http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/cigar-pairing-russells-reserve-1998-18459