Wild Turkey’s Jimmy Russell Celebrates 70 Years as Master Distiller

It may sound hyperbolic to throw around the phrase “living legend,” but in the world of Kentucky bourbon whiskey, there’s no other way to describe Jimmy Russell. 

In his 70 years at Wild Turkey, the world’s longest-tenured master distiller has seen it all. From the category’s lowest point in the 1980s through the current bourbon boom, Jimmy has been a steadying presence for the distillery and, more importantly, the bourbon community as a whole.

“Jimmy Russell is one of the most treasured and cherished people in the industry. He’s the master distiller’s master distiller,” says Kentucky Distillers’ Association president Eric Gregory. “Not only has he been looked up to for generations because of his personality, but also his accomplishments in making perfectly consistent premium Kentucky bourbon whiskey the right way, his way, for 70 years. Generations of bourbon makers owe their careers to Jimmy, and we have much to thank him for. Every minute spent with him is cherished, and he’s just one of a kind. There will never be another Jimmy Russell.”

It takes a uniquely determined personality to work for the same company for 70 years. What was it about Jimmy Russell, a self-described country boy from Anderson County, that helped him become one of the industry’s most respected figures? 

The early days

Jimmy Russell’s first day on the job was September 10, 1954. But Jimmy wasn’t the first member of the family to work at the distillery. That honor belongs to his wife Joretta, who worked there as a secretary shortly after graduating high school. After they married, Jimmy needed a full-time job and Joretta encouraged him to work with her.

He was taught how to make bourbon by Bill Hughes, an old-school distiller who learned the craft before Prohibition. Hughes took a liking to Jimmy and began showing him the ropes and preparing him for the role of master distiller. 

After Hughes passed away in 1967, Jimmy Russell became master distiller and was tasked with steering the ship through one of the roughest patches in the history of Kentucky bourbon. In the 1970s and ’80s, bourbon sales tanked as the popularity of clear spirits like vodka skyrocketed. Many bourbon distilleries closed as demand for the spirit cratered.

“Back when they were not making any money, he had to wear multiple hats,” says David Jennings, author of American Spirit, the definitive history of Wild Turkey. “They just couldn’t afford to hire a bunch of people or do all these things. So, he might be the union coordinator, the bookkeeper, or the head of maintenance, or whatever.”

Jimmy famously wore a suit and tie to work every day, even if he was doing the dirty work of rolling and dumping barrels. “He was just one of the guys,” says Jimmy’s son and master distiller Eddie Russell, who began working at the distillery in 1981. “Yeah, he was in charge, the one that could hire your brother, your cousin, or your nephew, but he was [also] just part of the group.” 

His lack of pretense extended to everyone in the bourbon community. He was close friends with contemporaries like Booker Noe of Jim Beam, Lincoln Henderson at Brown-Forman, Parker Beam of Heaven Hill, and Elmer T. Lee of Ancient Age (now Buffalo Trace).

“They were just so close-knit because it was a small fraternity, and they wanted to save this industry, so they became great friends,” says Eddie. 

The distillers would regularly spend time together, and share each other’s bourbon. They’d help each other with mechanical issues, and they’d often travel together to promote their whiskey.

The distillery changed owners multiple times through his tenure, but Jimmy’s ability to work well with the corporate side of the business and the rank-and-file distillery employees helped him to maintain his role over the years.

Jimmy’s bourbon philosophy

A common saying around the distillery is “Don’t tell Jimmy.” Unsurprisingly, Jimmy is very opinionated on what bourbon should be and those opinions still carry a lot of weight. He’s been known to say “Do it right, or don’t do it at all.” And he’ll let you know if he doesn’t think you’re doing it right.

“We don’t really like to tell Jimmy what we’re working on until it’s finished,” says Jimmy’s grandson and associate blender Bruce Russell. “It’s been a benefit to his craft over the years that he’s so stubborn, but he’s a perfectionist.”

His hard-headedness may have saved the distillery. 

While other distilleries in Kentucky were closing down or chasing trends like producing light whiskey, Jimmy insisted that the distillery continue to produce its trademark bourbon, Wild Turkey 101.

“I always thought that if something is right, you keep doing it that way. I don’t believe in change for the sake of change, even after all these years,” says Jimmy. “Back when I started, Bill Hughes taught me how to make bourbon the right way – the way he’d been making it since before Prohibition – and that’s what we’ve been doing for the last 70 years.”

Wild Turkey 101 and its high-proof counterpart, Rare Breed, are excellent examples of how Jimmy believes bourbon should taste. They’re bold, yet sweet on the nose with a noticeable burst of baking spice and pepper on the mid palate.

To celebrate Jimmy’s 70th Anniversary, Wild Turkey is planning a party at the distillery for Jimmy and all of the union employees. For the public, the distillery is releasing a special bottle of Wild Turkey: Jimmy Russell’s 70th Anniversary 8-Year-Old Bourbon. 

“It was really about going back to his roots, so we really looked to try to match what Wild Turkey was about back in the ’50s and ’60s and ’70s,” says Eddie. 

This 101-proof bourbon is modeled after Jimmy’s ideal whiskey — proofy, punchy, and full of spice — and brings back the 8-year age statement that Wild Turkey 101 had back in the 1980s. 

“The product that [Jimmy] kind of made his name on in the industry was the original 101 that was produced when he started,” says Bruce. “I shared a sample [of the new 8-year] with him and he said it’s not half bad. And for Jimmy, that’s about as excited as you’re going to hear him get about some whiskey.”

Spreading his wings

In the 1980s, Jimmy went on the road to promote Wild Turkey. He often stopped at small liquor stores throughout the U.S., where he shared his whiskey, signed bottles, and talked to customers for hours about Kentucky bourbon.

“When Jimmy traveled, he promoted bourbon,” says Eddie. “He would tell you, Wild Turkey is what I make, and I think it’s the best. But he would talk about his friends and [say] all Kentucky bourbon is good, just some better than others.”

Jimmy’s genuine personality coupled with his dedication to Kentucky bourbon made him the perfect ambassador for the category. Eventually, foreign demand for Wild Turkey started taking Jimmy to Japan, Australia, and eventually all over the world. 

The impact of these travels was massive for Wild Turkey and the entire whiskey industry. Instead of monitoring fermentation, or manning the still, Jimmy became the relatable face of the distillery. Everywhere Jimmy went, he made an impression and converted more Kentucky bourbon enthusiasts along the way. 

“When dad and I went to Japan last fall, we would walk into these bars, and there’d be a picture on the wall of the guy that owned the bar with Jimmy or Booker from ’83 or ’86,” says Bruce. “It just really blew my mind to see how much these old master distillers like Booker and Jimmy really mean to all different kinds of people.”

His work in promoting bourbon globally is often pointed to by enthusiasts and whiskey historians as Jimmy Russell’s biggest contribution to the bourbon industry. 

“He, along with Booker, Parker, and the others, kept bourbon alive at a time when it wasn’t really anything that anybody wanted,” says Jennings. “He’s dedicated his entire adult life to bourbon, not just Wild Turkey.”

Jimmy’s legacy

Although his days of rolling barrels while wearing a suit have long passed, Jimmy is still a regular fixture at the distillery. He can usually be found holding court at the newly renovated Wild Turkey visitor’s center doing what he loves to do: talking to the distillery’s fans, signing bottles, telling stories, and teasing fans of rival college basketball teams.

If you get to talking with him and have the chance to ask him what he’s most proud of in his career, Jimmy always brings it back to his family. “Inducting my son Eddie into the Bourbon Hall of Fame was a special moment for me, and now watching my grandson Bruce take on more responsibility and make his mark in the industry has been wonderful to witness,” he says.

Wild Turkey has become something of a family business. Eddie and Bruce are handling things on the distilling side, and Jimmy’s granddaughter, JoAnn Street, is currently working as a national brand ambassador. 

“I’m proud to work with my son Eddie, grandson Bruce, and granddaughter JoAnn, and I know they’ll continue to grow the Wild Turkey legacy for many years to come,” he says. “It’s very special to get to come to work with them every day.”

With Jimmy Russell’s guidance, the future of the distillery is in good hands. Is Jimmy ready to relax and let the next generations take the reins? When asked if they thought Jimmy might ever decide to retire, Eddie and Bruce both responded with an emphatic “No.” 

“I’ve always said that I’ve never worked a day in my life. So the day that it starts to feel like work, I’ll retire,” says Jimmy. “But I don’t see that happening any time soon.”