Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2026 is Camp Nelson D, the fifth release in Wild Turkey’s Single Rickhouse Collection. It is a non-chill filtered Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at barrel proof, 120.8 proof (60.4% ABV), drawn from barrels on five floors of a 1946 rickhouse that sits higher than any other in the series so far. Master Distiller Eddie Russell describes it as the most different Single Rickhouse yet, with a spicy, rye-like profile. It costs $300 per 750ml and is available for a limited time at select US retailers and the Wild Turkey Distillery Visitor Center.
Eddie Russell went looking for sweetness in Camp Nelson D. He came back with spice.
That is the story of Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2026, and it is the best possible argument for the whole series. The recipe, the yeast and the barrels are Wild Turkey’s. The only real variable is where the whiskey slept. And this time, according to Russell, the result tastes so much like rye that you would bet on it blind.
Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2026 at a glance
Release: Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2026, Camp Nelson D
Series: Single Rickhouse Collection, fifth edition
Style: Kentucky straight bourbon, non-chill filtered
Strength: 120.8 proof / 60.4% ABV (barrel proof)
Rickhouse: Camp Nelson D, built 1946
Floors selected: 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6
Price: $300 per 750ml (suggested retail)
Availability: Limited time, select US retailers and the Wild Turkey Distillery Visitor Center, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Bottle count: Not disclosed
What is the Single Rickhouse Collection?
The Single Rickhouse Collection is Russell’s Reserve’s annual study of whiskey terroir. Each release comes entirely from one rickhouse, the multi-storey barrel warehouses that define Kentucky bourbon country.
The idea is simple. Wild Turkey keeps its fundamentals constant, so any difference in the glass comes from the building: its height, its exposure, how air moves through it and how much the temperature swings across a Kentucky year. Those swings push spirit in and out of the charred oak, and every rickhouse does it differently.
The series began in 2022 with Camp Nelson C, a sweet, dessert-leaning bourbon. Camp Nelson F followed in 2023 at 117.6 proof and went in a bolder, oakier direction. Camp Nelson D is the fifth chapter.
Why Camp Nelson D tastes different: elevation and airflow
Camp Nelson D is one of five historic rickhouses still standing on Wild Turkey’s Camp Nelson site. It sits on the western side of the campus, apart from its neighbours, and at the highest elevation of any rickhouse used in the Collection so far.
That exposed, west-facing position gives it strong and steady airflow. For a maturing bourbon, more air movement and more exposure usually mean more interaction between spirit and wood, and the distillery points to exactly that as the source of the spice.
The barrel selection is also unusual. Russell and his team took barrels from floors one, three, four, five and six, more floors than any previous Single Rickhouse release. Floor one is normally left out, but Russell says those lower barrels brought an earthy quality that helped build the rye-like character. Once they saw where the blend was heading, they followed it.
Eddie Russell’s 45 years and the rickhouse where he started
There is a personal thread running through this release. Camp Nelson D was the first rickhouse Eddie Russell worked in when he joined Wild Turkey as a union employee 45 years ago. The 2026 edition arrives as he marks that anniversary at Wild Turkey Distilling Co.
For anyone new to the name: Eddie Russell is Wild Turkey’s Master Distiller and the son of Jimmy Russell, the longest-serving active master distiller in American whiskey. Russell’s Reserve is the family’s own line, built around barrel selection rather than new recipes.
Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2026 tasting notes
Tasting notes from Russell’s Reserve. We have not yet tasted this release.
Nose: baked fruit, apple, baking spices, vanilla
Palate: cinnamon, clove, stone fruit, rye bread
Finish: medium length; rye spice, black pepper, cinnamon, spicy oak
ABV: 60.4% (120.8 proof) | Cask: new charred American oak | Price: $300
The rye bread note on the palate is the one to watch. Wild Turkey’s bourbon recipe is corn-led, so a rye-bread character here is coming from maturation rather than the grain bill. That is precisely the point the Single Rickhouse series exists to make.
How it compares with earlier Single Rickhouse releases
| Camp Nelson C (2022) | Camp Nelson F (2023) | Camp Nelson D (2026) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proof | Barrel proof | 117.6 | 120.8 |
| Rickhouse position | Camp Nelson site | Lower ground, overlooking the Kentucky River | Highest elevation in the series, west-facing |
| Profile (per distillery) | Dessert-like: caramel, crème brûlée, toffee | Big, bold, spicy, oaky | Rye-like spice, baked fruit, rye bread |
| Price | Limited US release | $300 | $300 |
Price and availability: US only, for now
Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2026 carries a suggested retail price of $300 per 750ml bottle. It is a limited-time release sold at select retailers in US markets and at the Wild Turkey Distillery Visitor Center in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Russell’s Reserve directs buyers to its newsletter at RussellsReserve.com for purchase updates.
There is no announced European, UK or Asian release. Readers outside the US will most likely meet this bottle through the secondary market or auction platforms, where earlier Single Rickhouse editions have tended to trade above retail. Factor in import duty and shipping before chasing one.
Is Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2026 worth $300?
At $300, this is not a casual purchase. You are paying for a barrel-proof, non-chill filtered bourbon from a named rickhouse, assembled by a master distiller with 45 years in the same warehouses. You are also paying for allocation.
It makes most sense for two kinds of drinker. The first is the Wild Turkey devotee who has followed the Single Rickhouse series and wants to put C, F and D side by side. The second is anyone genuinely curious about how much warehouse position shapes a whiskey. Few releases make that case as directly as a corn-led bourbon that reads like a rye.
If you want a spicier bourbon simply to drink, the Russell’s Reserve core range gives you the house character at a fraction of the price. Single Rickhouse is for the comparison and the conversation.
Frequently asked questions
What is Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2026?
Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2026 is Camp Nelson D, the fifth edition of Wild Turkey’s Single Rickhouse Collection. It is a non-chill filtered Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at 120.8 proof, made entirely from barrels aged in Camp Nelson D, a 1946 rickhouse at the highest elevation used in the series.
What does Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson D taste like?
According to Russell’s Reserve, the nose offers baked fruit, apple, baking spices and vanilla. The palate brings cinnamon, clove, stone fruit and rye bread, and the medium-length finish shows rye spice, pepper, cinnamon and spicy oak. Eddie Russell says it is the first Single Rickhouse that tastes like a rye when tasted blind.
How much does Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2026 cost?
The suggested retail price is $300 per 750ml bottle in the United States. That matches the 2023 Camp Nelson F release. Outside the US, expect to pay more through secondary markets or auctions, plus import duty and shipping, as there is no official international release announced.
Where can I buy Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2026?
It is available for a limited time at select retailers in US markets and at the Wild Turkey Distillery Visitor Center in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Russell’s Reserve recommends signing up to its newsletter at RussellsReserve.com for purchase news. No UK, European or Asian release has been announced.
What proof and ABV is Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse 2026?
Camp Nelson D is bottled at barrel proof, 120.8 proof, which equals 60.4% ABV. It is non-chill filtered, meaning the whiskey has not been chilled and filtered before bottling, so more of the natural oils and texture from maturation are kept in the glass.
What makes the Single Rickhouse Collection different?
Each Single Rickhouse release comes from one warehouse only. Wild Turkey keeps its recipe and process constant, so the differences between editions show how a rickhouse’s height, airflow and exposure shape bourbon. Camp Nelson C was sweet and dessert-like, Camp Nelson F bold and oaky, and Camp Nelson D leans spicy and rye-like.
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