One of America’s Best Whiskey Makers Drops a Highly Anticipated New Bourbon
This acclaimed annual series does something it's never done before.
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It might not sound as sexy as a high age statement or a new experimental cask finish, but barrel selection is arguably the most rewarding step in the whiskey-making and -tasting experience.
Eddie Russell understands this fully. The second-generation master distiller at Wild Turkey, Eddie decided to launch Russell's Reserve with his father, the legendary Jimmy Russell, as a way to showcase the importance of cask curation.
Russell's Reserve debuts its fifth annual Single Rickhouse bourbon, a highly anticipated collection that focuses on a whiskey's aging environment. - Credit: Russells Reserve
Over the past 25 years, Russell's Reserve hasn't done anything crazy with its releases, largely focusing on proof or maturation of its whiskeys, first and foremost. However, in 2022, it decided to add another distinction to this list: environment.
The annual Single Rickhouse series has garnered acclaim from enthusiasts and critics alike. And now, for its fifth outing, the collection has done something it never has before.
Single Rickhouse started as a way to highlight how a distinct aging warehouse affects a whiskey. This is the first to come from the historic Camp Nelson D. - Credit: Russells Reserve
Slick Rick(house)
For this new Single Rickhouse bourbon, Russell's Reserve finally headed to its historic Camp Nelson D rickhouse. The 80-year-old warehouse was where Eddie Russell first started after joining the Wild Turkey family back in 1981.
Aside from its personal significance, the rickhouse has an unusual geographical position on the western edge of the property. Distanced from its neighbors, it also sits at the highest elevation of any Single Rickhouse bourbon so far.
You see, bourbon, even in small batches, often gets culled across several different aging warehouses. But Single Rickhouse allows drinkers to experience how factors like temperature, humidity, airflow and warehouse architecture can shape a bourbon's character over time.
According to master distiller Eddie Russell, "This is the first Single Rickhouse release where, tasted blind, you'd bet it was a rye." - Credit: Russells Reserve
Rye not?
Bourbon frequently features rye as the secondary grain, right after its mashbill's 51-percent-minimum corn makeup. And because of that, warm rye spice often comes into the tasting profile. However, there's still a distinguishable difference between straight bourbon and straight rye whiskeys.
Even though Eddie aimed to find sweeter notes from Camp Nelson D, the rye profile was resilient. According to the master distiller, "It's the most different Single Rickhouse release we've created, proving how every rickhouse can shape whiskey." He also adds that "this is the first Single Rickhouse release where, tasted blind, you'd bet it was a rye."
The rye profile, in part, comes from the barrels on the rickhouse's first floor, which the brand typically doesn't touch for this collection. - Credit: Russells Reserve
Normally, these Single Rickhouse releases don't utilize barrels from the first floor, but Russell and his team were drawn to the earthy and rye-forward profile of those casks. In total, this expression blends barrels found on floors one, three, four, five and six of Camp Nelson D, which is the most in the series so far.
Bottled at 120.8 proof (60.4% ABV), Camp Nelson D showcases aromas of baked fruits, apple, baking spices and vanilla on the nose before moving to a palate of cinnamon, cloves, stone fruit and rye bread.
Price and availability
Available in limited quantities, Russell's Reserve's Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson D bourbon has already started to roll out to select retailers. Suggested retail price is $300.
Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse 2026 – Camp Nelson D
About the Author: Ethan Brehm is an associate editor at Gear Patrol writing about footwear, watches, spirits, EDC and more. When he's not shopping for his next G-Shock, he spends his time watching movies and planning a future road trip with his family. He firmly believes CDs sound better than vinyl.
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