Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E

This is Russell’s Reserve turned all the way up. Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E is a limited Kentucky straight bourbon drawn from a small batch of barrels on Camp Nelson Rickhouse E’s fifth floor. Bottled at barrel proof 128 and non-chill filtered, it’s the highest-proof Russell’s Reserve release to date. Barrels were aged at least ten years in the cooler, shaded environment of Camp Nelson’s 1946-built Rickhouse E.

Expect classic Wild Turkey mashbill character—75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley—with extra oak weight and slow, cool-climate maturation.

The nose is powerful yet layered, revealing vanilla, caramel, and maple before figs, dried orange peel, cola, and deeply toasted oak arrive. Chestnut, amaretto, and cream soda weave through the aroma, alongside blackberry, seasoned oak, and a faint echo of rickhouse dust. Even neat, there’s surprisingly little ethanol sting, just a steady wave of warm, dessert-leaning fragrance backed by serious oak.

The first sip brings cinnamon, cherry, and cola, quickly joined by sweet, charred oak, leather, and a dense, almost syrupy mouthfeel. Dark fruit, blackberry preserves, graham cracker, and nutmeg ride over waves of molasses, burnt brown sugar, and rich, tannic oak.

The finish stretches out with black cherry, molasses, clove, musty old oak, and peppery heat that settles deep rather than biting sharply.

It’s a decidedly oak-forward Russell’s, rewarding patient, small pours, and a bit of air in the glass.

Nose: Shows vanilla, caramel, maple syrup, and cream soda over figs, dried orange peel, blackberry, and cola-like sweetness. Chestnut, amaretto, seasoned oak, and a touch of musty rickhouse air add depth and a slightly old-library feel.

Palate: Opens with cinnamon, cherry, and cherry-cola, followed by burnt brown sugar, candied dates, and sweet charred oak. Leather, blackberry reduction, dark chocolate, and nutmeg roll in mid-palate, wrapped in viscous texture and steady high-proof warmth. Hints of mint and graham cracker peek through the oak, giving small flashes of brightness between the heavier notes.

Finish: Long and drying, packed with black cherry, molasses, clove, charred oak, musty rickhouse wood, and firm oak tannins. Burnt brown sugar, cola syrup, and lingering pepper ride out slowly, leaving the palate buzzing with dark fruit and seasoned wood.

Big, oak-driven bourbon like this shines beside char and fat.
Think reverse-seared ribeye, smoked short ribs, or thick-cut pork chops, where the caramelized crust echoes the burnt sugar, cherry, and spice.

Rich braises work too, especially beef bourguignon or bourbon-glazed beef stew with root vegetables and plenty of glossy sauce.
The dark fruit, oak, and molasses notes fold straight into the reduction without getting lost.

On a board, reach for aged Gouda, clothbound cheddar, and roasted nuts, plus a little dark chocolate and dried cherries.
For dessert, try pecan pie, chocolate tart, or burnt-sugar bread pudding to mirror the bourbon’s molasses, cocoa, and toasted-oak edges.