Chestnut | Amaretto | Caramel | Vanilla extract | Blackberry | Cream soda | Seasoned oak

Cinnamon | Cherry | Cola | Sweet charred oak | Leather | Great mouthfeel

Black cherry | Molasses | Charred oak | Musty oak | Oak tannins | Clove | Long

Wild Turkey’s Single Rickhouse series was introduced in 2021 and “explores whiskey “terroir," and how the exact location of the rickhouse - an often-overlooked detail, influences the whiskey’s final character.” The latest release, Camp Nelson E, is composed of handpicked barrels from the fifth floor of Camp Nelson’s Rickhouse E. According to Wild Turkey’s Master Distiller Eddie Russell, “Camp Nelson E is one of the most interesting aging environments we have, completely different from where we’ve pulled from in the past.” Notably, Camp Nelson E is a 128 proof cask strength bourbon and is the highest proof Russell’s Reserve release to date.

For a Russell’s Reserve product, Camp Nelson E is noticeably dark, which is a dead giveaway of what is about to come. The aroma is fantastically rich and varied, with warm scents of chestnut, amaretto, and caramel coming on strong. From there, a potent vanilla extract note emerges, followed by lush blackberry and sweet cream soda notes that are layered in. The palate leads with cinnamon, but soon adds cherry and cola. From here, the sip turns much more robust. Sweet charred oak and leather come barreling in, further hinting at what the finish is about to bring. A swirl of black cherry and molasses, combined with charred oak, light musty oak, oak tannins, and clove, transform the sip into something very heavy-tasting.  

In the pantheon of recent limited Russell’s Reserve releases, Camp Nelson E definitely pushed its oak content to the max. By comparison, Russell’s Reserve 13 Year boasts a much brighter red fruit palate and a more dominant oak finish. Russell’s Reserve 15 Year has much more in common with Camp Nelson E, and just might be in the Goldilocks zone between the 13 Year and Camp Nelson E.  

That’s not to say the latest Camp Nelson release is lesser than the other two releases. They share many similar qualities, but this release pushes the oak-dominated flavor profile to the max. Many will welcome the brand’s highest proof yet, but this is a case where the proof does the sip a bit of disservice. It exacerbates the oak to the point of overshadowing the entire sip despite plenty of non-oak notes present. This is where the musty and tannic oak notes are most forceful. It will likely take a few sips before your tongue has time to acclimate to the heavy charred, sometimes assertive, musty, and tannic oak notes that dominate the finish.

Despite being so oak-dominated, Camp Nelson E has Wild Turkey DNA in its core. A version of a Wild Turkey product we rarely get: high proof, high aged, and oak-dominated. In this case, we get it all in one product. Camp Nelson E is a great-tasting bourbon, but given its price (and expected high secondary pricing), knowing how oak-centric it is will determine if it’s right for you.