On Wednesday, Russell’s Reserve announced the third expression in its Single Rickhouse Collection: Camp Nelson B. Bottled at 60.1 percent ABV, Single Rickhouse 2024 is both the highest-proof offering in the experimental collection and the booziest bottle in the Russell’s Reserve portfolio.
Launched in 2022 with the debut release of Camp Nelson C, the Single Rickhouse Collection was created to demonstrate how different barrel aging locations impact a whiskey’s final profile. Expanding the line in 2023 with Camp Nelson F, the series highlights a single rickhouse and its unique microclimate with each installment.
Each barrel used to craft Camp Nelson B was retrieved from the sixth floor of its namesake, seven-story warehouse where the temperatures are usually warmest. According to a brand press release, the hot environment of this particular location was a major contributing factor in elevating this expression’s proof point. The brand also says that the high temperature allowed the whiskey to develop a more robust oaky profile.
“The higher we went, the hotter it got, and the more oak we were getting on the whiskeys,” Russell’s Reserve master distiller Eddie Russell explained in the release. “For Camp Nelson B, we wanted to make sure we were really showcasing the rich, dark honey and char notes that we tend to get from that rickhouse, and we had a feeling that the bourbon we were looking for was sitting up there, enjoying the sun.”
According to the release, Camp Nelson B offers aromas of vanilla, sweet cream, fruit cake, and oak that transition to floral and baking spice notes. On the palate, the bourbon is said to deliver a dark honey, raisin, and cherry-forward flavor profile accompanied by hints of spearmint and thyme before a long, peppery finish takes over.
Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson B is currently available at select retailers nationwide and at the Wild Turkey Distillery Visitor Center in Lawrenceburg, Ky. for a suggested retail price of $300.
