500mL bottled 01/17/2024, #071/600, shared with the membership group (minus TJ, Tom and Chris) on 8/8/2026.
Caramel, prune, hint of nutty, ever-so-slightly spicy rye and mild oxidation. Never had Russell's Reserve but this doesn't smell very whiskey-like, whatever the case. That said, there's some liquor, some spice and it's soft, mellow, free of booze. Seems well-constructed as an English-style barleywine of sorts.
Rich and malty; much more so than the nose suggests. Soft, creamy almost with a fluffy, mallow-like texture. More whiskey in the flavor, though reserved to the finish mostly, showing pepper, spice, nuttiness and mild liquor. The rest is a pretty classic English barleywine. The rye seems to add more texture without the accompanying sweetness that barley would, so that's pretty cool. No alcohol noted whatsoever; this could be 6% abv for all it tastes of it. The caramel, date, raisin character gets a bit monotonous over the course of a glass and I'm not itching to drink another. Some additional, bolder barrel/spirit character would be welcome here.

500 ml. From our membership. Bottle 069/ 600. Aroma is soft toffee, mild oak, and mild Russel’s Reserve. Flavor follows with a nice subtle rye that helps cut the sweetness. Good dark fruit ( dates, figs, raisins) with a warming finishing.