Hall of Fame

Master distiller James C. “Jimmy” Russell knows Bourbon like he knows breathing. It’s fitting, then, that the longest-tenured master distiller in the Bourbon industry today is known as ‘the Buddha of Bourbon’. Russell has been making whiskey at the Wild Turkey Distillery for 58 years.

Growing up five miles from the distillery, he idolised his father and grandfather who taught him the traditions and techniques of Bourbon craftsmanship. His first position at the distillery was sweeping floors, but his dedication to the art of making great Bourbon has elevated him to the top of Kentucky’s most-treasured industry.