Now that I’ve dialed back my traveling for the next few months, it’s the perfect opportunity to play catch-up on some whiskeys in need of review. Considering a grand majority of these bottles are Russell’s Reserve or Kentucky Spirit private selections, I figured I’d pull from a variety of rickhouses and review them in a concentrated period of time. And with it being the holidays, why not give it a seasonal spin.

With that, I’m introducing a short series, “12 Rickhouses of Turkey.” Each review, while shorter in format to my average post, will highlight a particular Wild Turkey aging location via a private barrel selection. I have no set order, and it’s highly possible the bottles I’ve set aside could change, but by the end of December I should have 12 reviews, each from a different rickhouse. Most will be 2022-2023 selections, so as to give readers a reference point when considering a retail purchase. I may, however, throw in an older selection or two.

Let’s kick things off with a Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel private selection from Pogo’s Wine & Spirits in Dallas, Texas. While I’m unfamiliar with the retailer, this selection arrived courtesy of a friend who appreciates a quality Turkey (thanks again, Rob). It’s from the 5th floor of Camp Nelson’s rickhouse A, which isn’t as common as 4th-floor barrels from the same year (2022). Will a higher floor make a significant difference in the bourbon’s flavor? We shall see.

12 Rickhouses of Turkey: CNA

Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Proof: 110

Age: 9 years, 5 months

Misc.: Selected by Pogo’s Wine & Spirits; barrel #22-0896, Camp Nelson A, 5th floor; distilled and bottled by the Wild Turkey Distilling Co., Lawrenceburg, KY

Tasted neat in a Glencairn after a few minutes rest …

Color: copper

Nose: honey, caramel, glazed apples, sweet oak, sugared orange peel, nutmeg, faint cinnamon & blackberry

Taste: toffee, brown sugar, honey butter, red fruit, toasted oak, graham cracker w/ savory orange jam, baking spice

Finish: medium-long w/ warm vanilla, cola, charred oak, prickly spice, baked apples & cinnamon, hints of leather & pepper

Impression: There’s a lot of what I consider “core Turkey” notes in this Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel – not quite as notable as 2022 Tyrone A barrels, but close enough to sit outside of the unique or “off-profile” realm. That in no way infers it being inferior – quite the opposite. While off-profile barrels can be exciting, they can also be polarizing. If a selection is considerably estranged from the familiar Wild Turkey profile, it can sometimes be relegated to a “mood pour,” or whiskey which seldom hits a glass. 

But I would be remiss to ignore the maturation campus’s influence on this bourbon. While not as Camp Nelson in profile as a CNB or CNF selection, there’s still a noteworthy volume of the proverbial “Camp Nelson prickle.” If you’re unfamiliar with Camp Nelson aged whiskey, it tends to showcase a prickly quality. Some call it spicy, others call it fizzy, but many refer to it as prickly. It’s a tingle that sets itself apart from bourbon aged at Tyrone and McBrayer.

As for the role of 5th-floor aging over the more commonly found 4th-floor, there is a slight profile difference. Of course, one could always attribute that to single-barrel variance, but for me it seems to shift the darker, oak-laden notes forward. It’s slight, but noticeable in my side-by-side comparisons.

Regardless, don’t let my observation deter you from purchasing a 4th-floor CNA selection. Hell, many 2022 4th-floor Camp Nelson A barrels fell below 110 proof at bottling, causing them to be released as 101-proof Kentucky Spirit selections. So, if you happen to stumble upon a 2022 4th-floor CNA Turkey – Russell’s Reserve or Kentucky Spirit – chances are it’s pretty close to barrel proof. Don’t pass it by!

dj

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