Review #686 - Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse: Camp Nelson C

Written By Me, My Wife & Whisky

In 2022, Wild Turkey launched the inaugural expression of their 'Single Rickhouse Collection' via their Russell's Reserve brand. This series is meant to highlight the individual characteristics of the many Wild Turkey warehouses, as well as the micro-region differences between the different campuses. They started with Rickhouse C from their Camp Nelson campus, a rickhouse which has since been demolished; before Wild Turkey used this rickhouse, it had previously been used by other companies, especially Canada Dry and possibly Four Roses.

The batch used for this bourbon release consisted of 72 barrels from that Camp Nelson C warehouse; specifically, these were aged on floors 3 and 4, in the center of the warehouse levels. The resulting bourbon has a barrel proof strength of 56.2% ABV (112.4 proof), and it isn't chill filtered before bottling. While there isn't any age statement on the bottle or in many of the press releases, some sources point to a minimum age of 10 years on this bourbon release.

Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse: Camp Nelson C

USA - Bourbon

MSRP: USD 250 (2022)

Available Price: USD 375 (2025, based on recent auction results)

Age Statement: NAS

Strength: 56.2% ABV

Details: Not chill filtered, bottled 2022

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 3 months from a sample (thanks u/micro7777 !). Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: The complexion is dark - dark brown sugar, dark dusty oak, some molasses. There's a bit of recognizable Wild Turkey funky grain character, and we get some drying notes like peanut, cinnamon, and wood char; time brings caramel apples and maybe a hint of chocolate.

Palate: The mouthfeel is thick and viscous; it's dark and oaky, with some prickle from tannins and a bit of spirity heat. Earthy notes, root beer, wood char, and grain funk add more dark, interesting flavors; baking spices like nutmeg, cardamom, and brown sugar can be found, too. Cinnamon, dark chocolate, and bitter tobacco are accents which appeared in individual tasting sessions.

Finish: Earthy, cola, a little bit dank. Brown sugar and breakfast cereal notes bring back a bit of sweetness, and we get a prickly and fizzy sensation, but this is mostly dark and dry. Wood smoke, strong leathery oak... in the aftertaste, we get hints of honey and banana cream. It's a medium-long finish.

Final Note: This is a very good bourbon from Wild Turkey, and a bit of a departure in profile from our typical Russell's Reserve experiences. While it did have the strong oak character that we usually get with the brand, we typically find more of those funky, grain-forward notes in Wild Turkey products, while the Russell's Reserve bourbons are more focused on dark fruit and baking notes. We liked that this one was unusual, and for us, it highlighted the grain character very strongly (in a good way). It was quite spicy and dry at times, but there were a few sweet notes to add a bit of balance.

Onto value: for us, this bottle (and the Single Rickhouse series in general) isn't great value. MSRP is already quite high at $250, and the newer editions have a MSRP of $300+; despite this being a good bourbon, that seems a bit high. Secondary or auction prices are even higher than that, and while we enjoyed the flavor, it isn't a series we'll be seeking out due to that price of entry.

Our Average Rating: 7.7 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating (MSRP): 4.87

Value Rating (Available Price): 4.33

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.

Me, My Wife & Whisky
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