Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2023 Bourbon (Camp Nelson F) Review

When it comes to novelty in the bourbon world, there’s always going to be a price tag that comes along with it. A big price tag. The Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse series is proof of that, being an outlier in the Wild Turkey/Russell’s lineup that is at least partially defined on a daily basis by offering some of the best pure value on the whiskey shelf–look no further than the heroic work done every day by Wild Turkey 101. But the last few years have also seen the company–or at least its Campari ownership–seemingly waking up to the soaring MSRPs it can charge in this era of bourbon limited release hype, and that has meant big jumps for the likes of the Master’s Keep annual releases, or Russell’s Reserve 13 Year, which somehow debuted at an MSRP of only $70 in 2021. Suffice to say, those days are now long gone just a few years later. But it really feels like the Single Rickhouse series illustrates this point most directly.

What you’re paying extra for here isn’t specifically specs, but a sense of place and specificity. The promise of Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse is that it will capture the micro-terroir and flavors of not just one compound, but one specific warehouse. In the first release in the series last year, that was Camp Nelson C. This year, it’s Camp Nelson F, and wouldn’t you know it–the MSRP rose by another $50, to an even $300. Granted, this is cask strength bourbon (117.6 proof), from a single rickhouse, with a not-specific age statement of “over 10 years,” but is it just that “single rickhouse” quality that makes for a 100% bump even from the current MSRP of the similarly proofed and aged Russell’s Reserve 13? I find it hard to get over the difference between the two. All I can say is that at $300, you absolutely need to be receiving an incredible experience in this bottle.

Now: What is special about Camp Nelson Rickhouse F, specifically, you may wonder? Wild Turkey has this to say:

Built in the 1940s, the Camp Nelson Rickhouse F sits lower than its peers on the Camp Nelson grounds overlooking the Kentucky River. The airflow and wind currents coming off the river benefit the barrels aging inside, which are known to “breathe” more than most. For this reason, the rickhouse has long been a favorite in the distillery’s private barrel selection program. For Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson F, Eddie selected barrels from the rickhouse’s center cut – floors four and five – of the seven-story building, yielding a well-balanced yet complex bourbon with a robust, oaky flavor profile. The resulting bottling is a testament to Eddie’s four decades of mastery of craft bourbon and an appreciation for the distinctive nuances that each Single Rickhouse brings to the whiskey aging inside.

Eddie Russell goes on to describe Camp Nelson F as being more “big, bold, spicy and oaky” in comparison with the previous Camp Nelson C in his estimation. So with that said, let’s get to tasting this Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse selection for ourselves.

On the nose, this one leads off with a lot of dark fruit–very concentrated and almost vinous or stewed fruit-like, with notes of plum, blackberry and chocolate-covered cherry. It also pushes into dried fruit territory, in the direction of raisin or prune. There’s no shortage of vanilla, and to me the caramelized sugars go dark, trending toward molasses. Old oak is present, with some earthiness or white pepper. The ethanol initially stings somewhat on the nose, despite letting this rest for 10 minutes or so before nosing, but this decreases with more time. In particular, I find the nose on this one transforms and becomes sweeter after tasting it for the first time, as when I return to it I’m suddenly getting caramel chews and honey where they really weren’t before.

On the palate, this is a nice blend of sweet, fruity and oaky impressions. I’m getting stewed black fruit–currant, blackberry, cherry–and cola spice, with tons of old oak that is rich, charred and sweet in character. More earthy white pepper is present, with a sweet roastiness reminiscent of oily French roast coffee beans. Dark vanilla leads into lighter vanilla frosting, with sturdy initial alcohol heat on the palate, though you acclimate fairly quickly. This is indeed bold, but it’s also a grower, getting better and more complex the longer it sits. In particular, more layers of sweetness are opening up, with honey and savory herbal notes coming into play.

There’s no way around it: This is a very delicious bourbon from Wild Turkey, and to me it’s more of a stand-out in terms of the liquid than the Camp Nelson C was. It’s probably one of the best overall bottles I’ve had from the distillery in recent memory, if perhaps still an iota shy of “all timer” status. Still, this does make a good case for Camp Nelson F as a very special release, though the $300 price tag will still be a tough selling point for many. I can at least say now, though, that those who do end up with a bottle are likely to treasure it.

I will be fascinated to see how future bottles in the Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse series evolve, especially when they begin to incorporate batches from the company’s other two barrel aging campuses.

Distillery: Wild Turkey/Russell’s Reserve
City: Lawrenceburg, KY
Style: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
ABV: 58.8% (117.6 proof)
Availability: Limited, 750 ml bottles, $300 MSRP

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident brown liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.