In the whiskey world, “terroir” doesn’t carry quite the same weight as it does with wine. But when it comes to aging spirits, location can make all the difference. That’s the driving force behind the Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Series, an annual bourbon from Wild Turkey Distillery that explores the impact of specific aging environments. And the 2025 edition, the fourth in the series, has an extra-special distinction: Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E is the highest-proof Russell’s Reserve in history, and the strongest batched product Wild Turkey Distillery has ever bottled.

So far, all bourbon in the Single Rickhouse Series has been sourced from buildings on the Camp Nelson campus, which was initially used by the E.J. Curley Distillery. It’s one of three sites used to age Wild Turkey products, along with the Tyrone and McBrayer campuses, and sits about 45 minutes from the distillery. Built in 1946, Rickhouse E is along the Kentucky River, exposing it to distinct wind and temperature patterns, as well as frequent shade. These conditions — combined with a seven-story design and dirt floor — create a notably cool aging environment, protected from direct sunlight.

To blend the 2025 Single Rickhouse release, Eddie Russell, third-generation master distiller, hand-selected barrels from Rickhouse E’s fifth floor. According to the brand, Russell was looking for “slower, nuanced flavor development” and found those barrels perfect for the task.

“Camp Nelson E is one of the most interesting aging environments we have, completely different from where we’ve pulled from in the past,” says Russell. “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. That’s exactly what this series is about — celebrating the uniqueness of each rickhouse and how it helps shape the whiskey we love.”

And while hotter environments often produce stronger whiskey, in this case, even a cooler floor resulted in a high-octane spirit. At a barrel proof of 128, Single Rickhouse E is not only the highest-proof Russell’s product but also the highest-proof Wild Turkey product ever batched and sold under a company label. That edges out the spring 2025 edition of Russell’s Reserve 13-Year-Old, which was bottled at 123.8 proof.

Like all Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey from Wild Turkey, Single Rickhouse E was distilled from a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley.

It’s preceded in the Single Rickhouse Series by Camp Nelson B (2024), Camp Nelson F (2023), and Camp Nelson C (2022). While the company tends to downplay the age of these releases — focusing instead on aging location — the bourbon is at least 10 years old.

Brand tasting notes highlight aromas of vanilla, caramel, maple, figs, cola, and dried orange peel. The palate is big on dried fruit and mint, along with graham cracker and nutmeg. The finish features “notes of sweet oak” alongside molasses and black pepper.

Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E has a suggested retail price of $300. Starting this October, it will be available in limited supply across the U.S. market and at the Wild Turkey Distillery Visitor Center. While the distillery doesn’t disclose exact bottle counts for this line, it’s believed to have a significantly smaller production run than age-stated Russell’s releases like Russell’s Reserve 13 and 15.