Russell's Reserve is firing on all cylinders. I wrote about the limited-edition 15-year-old bourbon earlier this summer, and I wasn't beating around the bush when I said it was one of the best whiskeys I've tasted all year. As we approach the end of 2024, I still stand by this promise. But now, that same esteemed Kentucky whiskey brand is making me think again with the release of the Single Rickhouse Collection: Camp Nelson B.
In only its third annual iteration, the Single Rickhouse Collection has already established itself as a cult classic. It has it all: high quality full flavored juice, released in small quantities and backed by a good story. In this last part, as you might guess from the name, each offering is pulled from a single warehouse or barrel warehouse on the grounds of the Wild Turkey distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY.
Eddie Russell, the eponymous whiskey maker, actually focuses on a narrow section of the seven-story aging facility to showcase the area involved. Although they all contain the same whiskey aged in the same type of barrels, no two regions of the barrels are sipping the same thing.
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This year, Russell and his team took to the sixth floor of the Camp Nelson B Rickhouse to create something sensational. It's a candied fruit bomb with notes of cream soda on the nose, with a richly textured body full of cherries and raisins. The charred oak elements are not noticeable until the finish, where they are accompanied by a menthol freshness. It is powerful yet complex. At 120.2 proof, this not only registers as the highest ABV entry in the series, but also the booziest Russell's Reserve release in the entire portfolio.
“To me, this bottling of Single Rickhouse represents the essence of Russell's Reserve and I couldn't be more proud of the final product – it truly is one of the best we have,” says master distiller Eddie Russell. “For Camp Nelson B, we wanted to make sure we were really showcasing the rich dark honey and charcoal notes that we tend to get from that warehouse, and we felt like the bourbon we were looking for was sitting there basking in the sun, the weather was even warmer, and we were getting more oak from the whiskeys.”
Russell's Reserve's Single Rickhouse 2024, a limited-edition one-off product, hits shelves this month for a suggested retail price of $300. By comparison, the unit price of the brand's 10-year-old flagship is usually around $40. But if you're a fan of respectable whiskeys, you know very well: you have to pay to play.
Related: I've Reviewed Hundreds of Whiskeys. This Classic Bourbon is Affordable, Delicious, and Versatile