Russell’s Reserve’s Highest-Proof Whiskey Ever Is Here — And We Got an Early Taste

David MorrowOct 15th, 2025, 10:00 am

Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E

(Photo: Russell’s Reserve)

On Wednesday, Russell’s Reserve unveiled the fourth installment in its Single Rickhouse Series, this time blending barrels from Camp Nelson E, a 1946-built rickhouse known for its cooler, shaded conditions near the Kentucky River.

The new expression, Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2025 – Camp Nelson E, explores how environmental factors like temperature, airflow and building orientation influence bourbon flavor. The limited release is non-chill filtered and bottled at a barrel-strength 128 proof — the highest proof in the brand’s history.

Master Distiller Eddie Russell selected barrels from the fifth floor of the seven-story rickhouse. The lower temperature and humidity of Camp Nelson E are said to slow aging, allowing for what the distillery describes as “more nuanced flavor development.”

“Camp Nelson E is one of the most interesting aging environments we have, completely different from where we’ve pulled from in the past,” Russell said in a news release. “The barrels from the fifth floor have this beautiful balance of dark fruit, baking spice, and rich oak that felt true to Russell’s Reserve, but also completely its own.”

We had a chance to taste the liquid ahead of release. Click here to read our full review.

The bottle has a suggested retail price of $300 per 750-milliliter and is available for a limited time in select U.S. markets and at the Wild Turkey Distillery Visitor Center. It will also be featured during a special vertical tasting of the Single Rickhouse Collection on Oct. 27, hosted by Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell. Subscribe to the Russell’s Reserve email list for details and ticket availability.

Russell’s Reserve’s Single Rickhouse Collection launched in 2022 and has since highlighted the individual rickhouses Camp Nelson C, Camp Nelson F and Camp Nelson B. The series emphasizes how microclimates within Wild Turkey’s aging facilities contribute to flavor variation among barrels.

Filed Under:

Follow The Daily Pour:

David Morrow - Editor In Chief

David Morrow is a whiskey critic and the Editor In Chief of The Daily Pour and has been with the company since 2021. David has worked in journalism since 2015 and has had bylines at Sports Illustrated, Def Pen, the Des Moines Register and the Quad City Times. David holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Saint Louis University and a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. When he’s not tasting the newest exciting beverages, David enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, watching sports, traveling and checking out breweries.