Meet the ‘Buddha of Bourbon’—the frontman of Wild Turkey’s brand

As bourbon fans flocked to the Wild Turkey visitors’ center, sitting near the entrance was no ordinary greeter. Jimmy Russell, who has lived through so much of the distillery’s rich history, was at his post as a goodwill ambassador, signing whiskey bottles, posing for photos and chatting up tourists about his favorite topics — making bourbon and sipping it. For 70 years, the distillery in the heart of Kentucky’s picturesque bourbon country has been Russell’s home away from home. He...