Review #173: Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson C

MASH BILL: 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley

PROOF: 112.4

AGE: NAS (WT states at least 10 yrs)

COST: $250 SRP for 750mL bottle (I’m reviewing a sample)

Wild Turkey is catering to its most diehard fans with the Single Rickhouse collection. You don’t have to venture far online to find WT fans talking about which warehouses are the best. The Single Rickhouse collection was started in 2022 with this specific release. Featuring a small batch of only 72 barrels from the middle floors (3 and 4) of the 7 story warehouse C at Camp Nelson.

Camp Nelson warehouse C was built in 1946, constructed of timber and clad with tin to naturally control internal temperatures. Located at the top of a hill next to the Kentucky River, this warehouse got better than average air flow allowing the barrels to breathe quite well. Seeing as Camp Nelson warehouse C was decommissioned in 2021, this expression is quite special.

Reviewed neat in a Glencairn.

APPEARANCE: A golden, auburn color (1.4); thick and viscous on the glass with fat, slow legs and a syrupy looking ring of teardrop legs to follow.

NOSE: A dessert-like nose with rich vanilla Crème Brule with heavily caramelized brown sugar, and melty caramel chews. Notes of crisp apple, dried apricots, and candied orange add a bright fruity sweetness as well. While the sweetness dominates, spicy cinnamon and nutmeg tingle the nose while light notes of white pepper, oak, and leather linger in the background.

PALATE: A mouthfeel that matches its appearance. I find the palate much spicier than the nose. Notes of cinnamon Red Hots, black pepper, and candied ginger provide a numbing spice yet sweetness. Crispy chips of caramelized brown sugar, toasted vanilla, and toffee add depth to the sweetness and bring an earthiness as well. Toasted oak and allspice show up late and carry over into the finish.

FINISH: A long and tannic finish. Vanillin rich oak, touch of barrel char, and allspice lead off with notes of orange zest and caramel showing up later. As the earthier notes from the beginning fade, cinnamon shows back up with the sweeter notes to bring this to a close.

RATING: 7.9/10

OVERALL: Solid expression! The nose is fantastic, but the heightened spice on the palate caught me a little off guard and seemed a bit disconnected from that dessert-like nose. However, the more I sipped it and got numb to the spice I became more pleased with it overall. My favorite part of this was how the whole sip appeared to come full circle with a sweetness dominant nose, spice on the palate, and the finish concluding back on sweeter notes. The fruit sweetness was a bit of a departure from the dark cherry note that I normally pick up on Wild Turkey products. Not in a bad way, just different, brighter. While I really enjoyed this pour, I think the fact that it cannot be replicated again seeing as CN-C has been retired romanticizes the experience more than it probably should. While the whiskey is great, it’s nothing like RR15.

 

1 | Disgusting | ...I've not subjected myself to this level

2 | Poor | Balcones Lineage

3 | Bad | High West Double Rye, Jefferson's Ocean 28

4 | Sub-par | Weller's SR, Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select

5 | Good | Buffalo Trace, Sazerac Rye, Green River Wheated

6 | Very Good | Blanton's, Holladay Bourbons, Eagle Rare

7 | Great | Baker's 7yr SiB, BBCo Origin High Wheat, 1792 BiB

8 | Excellent | Most ECBP batches, JD SiB BiB, High West MWND Act 11

9 | Incredible | Woodford Reserve Batch Proof 121.2, BBC DS #7, Four Roses OESQ

10 | Perfect | Found North Batch 08, RR15