Review: Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E

Note: This review of Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E reflects the personal opinions of Editor Kyle Swartz. This bottle was sent to him as a media sample.

This popular Russell’s Reserve line from Wild Turkey explores whiskey “terroir,” and how the exact location of the rickhouse influences the whiskey’s final character.

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, according to the distillery. For the 2025 release, Eddie Russell selected barrels exclusively from the fifth floor of the seven-story rickhouse.

This whiskey was bottled at 128 proof, making it the highest-proof Russell’s Reserve release to date.

Russell’s Reserve’s Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E is now available for a limited time at for the suggested retail price of $300 per 750-ml. bottle at select U.S. retailers, as well as at the Wild Turkey Distillery Visitor Center.

Nose

That first whiff as I walked from my dining room (where I photograph bottles) into my kitchen stopped me in my tracks. Whoa. This is another level of Wild Turkey sweetness. Dark chocolate and dark black cherries for days, like a decadent desert. Touch of toffee, sawdust and mixed nuts. The aroma is deep and complex, perfectly balanced. Flawless. This is one of the best noses that I have encountered in years.

Palate

That level of quality continues onto the palate. Obviously it’s hot from 128 proof, but once you get beyond that heat you taste more of those delicious dark cherries and dark chocolate. Rich, sweet and palate-coating, with an oily butteriness. Dark char and lovely oak add to the depth of this exquisite pour. This is another level of richness for that traditional Wild Turkey sweetness. Dark peppers provide the tannic backbone. I almost never add water to whiskey, but my buddy Pizza Edy — a whiskey connoisseur who contributed to this review — convinced me to try a few drops in this high-proof pour. I did, and it revealed even more layers of the dark cherries and dark chocolate that define this memorable bourbon.

Finish

The dark peppers linger with dark char and cocoa notes. As you would expect from a 128-proof bottle from one of the best distilleries in the history of the industry, this is a loooooong finish with a deep Kentucky Hug.

Upshot

Straight to the point, this is a Bottle of the Year candidate. Having sampled a number of these Single Rickhouse releases in the past, I would expect nothing less from this top-shelf Wild Turkey line. This bottle will be a crown jewel in most collections, a unicorn worth tracking down and opening the wallet to acquire. Wild Turkey has another homerun on their hands with Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E.

Kyle Swartz is editor of Beverage Dynamics. Reach him at kswartz@epgacceleration.com. Read his recent piece, The State of U.S. Whiskey at Kentucky Bourbon Fest 2025.

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