Russell’s Reserve has debuted an all-new, annual limited-edition collection: Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse.
Serving as an individual expression of the location where the liquid aged, each Single Rickhouse bottling showcases liquid from a different, individual rickhouse — past and present — at Wild Turkey Distillery. The series explores contributions specific resting places have on a whiskey’s final character.
The inaugural release, Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson C, features liquid from only 72 barrels from the now dismantled, seven-story rickhouse, Camp Nelson C.
Camp Nelson C was built at Wild Turkey Distilling Co. in 1946 and decommissioned in 2021. Situated on top of a hill and next to the Kentucky River, the warehouse was made from timber, and clad with tin to control internal temperatures.
Russell’s Reserve Master Distiller Eddie Russell selected barrels for this release from the center-cut — also considered the sweet spot — on floors three and four of the warehouse, the company says.
“Tasting through our barrel stock as our whiskies age, and determining which are right for each release, is one of my favorite parts of the job,” says Russell. “When I tasted this liquid from Camp Nelson C, I knew it deserved its own place in Russell’s history. It’s a little different from what folks have come to expect from our whiskies, and even though we all personally enjoy different flavor profiles, Dad, myself and my son, Bruce all agreed instantly: this is a ‘once in a blue moon’ kind of whiskey and deserving of being the first release in this special series.”
Aged for more than 10 years, this limited release of non-chill filtered bourbon comes bottled at 112.4 barrel proof. Company-provided tasting notes are as follows:
- Proof: 112.4
- Aroma: Sweet vanilla, caramel and cream that transition to fresh and dried fruit and then notes of brown sugar, oak and char
- Taste: Thick, rich and sweet introduction with notes of toffee, coconut and vanilla that transition to notes of apple, dried fruit, toasted pecan, chocolate and baking spices
- Finish: Long finish with silky and sweet mouthcoating that transitions to a pleasant balance of oak, baking spices and rich sweetness
Officially available on shelves in early October, the 2022 Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson C rolls out to select U.S. retailers and the Wild Turkey Distillery for a suggested retail price of $249.99 per 750-ml. bottle.
In light of the recent floods in Eastern Kentucky and the heart of Bourbon Country, the Russell family donated the first bottles of this liquid to The Kentucky Bourbon Benefit — Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund this August as a way to support those impacted.
