Review: Russell’s Reserve Bourbon Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E (2025)

This is the fourth time in as many years that Wild Turkey has taken a trip to its Camp Nelson campus for a single rickhouse special edition. This year’s drop comes from building E, specifically the fifth floor.

Some details on the particulars of the building:

When it came to exploring this year’s release, Master Distiller Eddie Russell and his team turned to Camp Nelson E, an iconic, 1946-built rickhouse tucked deep among the trees on Camp Nelson’s property edge. Located closer to the Kentucky River than the other rickhouses on the Camp Nelson campus, Camp Nelson E runs North-South along the river, subjecting it to different wind patterns off the river and more consistent shading throughout the year. Its unique positioning, deeper-set on the property, and dirt-floor “basement” level creates one of the coolest microclimates on the grounds – a stark contrast to the sun-drenched heights of Camp Nelson B from last year’s release.

For the 2025 edition, Eddie Russell selected barrels exclusively from the fifth floor of the seven-story rickhouse, where the cooler environment allows for slower, more nuanced flavor development. Bottled at a robust barrel proof of 128 – making it the highest-proof Russell’s Reserve release to date – and non-chill filtered to preserve its full character, Single Rickhouse 2025 is crafted for true bourbon connoisseurs and collectors.

We received a small sample to taste and review. Let’s try it.

Russell’s Reserve Bourbon Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E (2025) Review

Up front, this doesn’t present itself as if it’s 64% alcohol — far from it. Quite sweet on the nose for a Wild Turkey product, its core peanut elements are enhanced by ample spice, butterscotch, almond, and milk chocolate notes. The classic elements of bourbon are well-accounted for, though a punch of menthol as you breathe deep ultimately belies its abv.

The palate is sweet and supple, again a trip down the candy aisle with elements of Butterfinger candies, later leading to flavors of molasses and cocktail cherries. Clean and lightly fruity on the moderate finish, the whiskey doesn’t outstay its welcome as it concludes with a reprise of chocolate and vanilla, with a light echo of root beer.

This is one of those samples that was gone before I knew it, and I’d have loved to have had more time to explore its charms — which are significant.

128 proof.

A / $300 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

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