Russell's Reserve has unveiled a new whiskey collection: Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse. The first whiskey in the collection is named Camp Nelson C. (Photo: Russell's Reserve)
Russell's Reserve on Tuesday announced a new, annual, limited-edition whiskey collection: Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse. Each whiskey in the collection will come from barrels aged in an individual rickhouse - past or present - at the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.
Russell's Reserve will use the series to explore the role different resting places have on whiskeys. celebrating varied nuances of whiskey aging across these different environments.
The first release in the series is named Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson C. This whiskey features liquid from 72 barrels from Camp Nelson C, a seven-story rickhouse that is now dismantled.
Built in 1946 and decommissioned in 2021, Camp Nelson C was located on top of a hill next to the Kentucky River. The rickhouse was made from timber and lined with tin to control internal temperatures, with space for air to circulate and allow the barrels to breathe during the aging process. Russell's Reserve Master Distiller Eddie Russell selected the barrels for this release from the "center cut," also considered the "sweet spot," on floors three and four of the warehouse.
"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," Eddie Russell, Master Distiller at the Wild Turkey distillery, said in a news release. "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. We hope everyone enjoys it as much as we do."
Aged for more than 10 years, this limited release was bottled at 112.4 barrel proof. 2022 Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson C will be available for a limited time at select U.S. retailers and at the Wild Turkey Distillery for a suggested retail price of $249.99 per 750-milliliter bottle
The brand announced it is donating the first bottles of Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson C to The Kentucky Bourbon Benefit to support its aid for the victims of Eastern Kentucky flooding.
Nose: 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
Russell's Reserve is produced by Wild Turkey distillery. Both brands are owned by Campari and led by father-son duo Jimmy and Eddie Russell, who operate as co-master distillers.
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