Russell's Reserve has announced the debut of a new annual release called "Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse." The first release comes from retired rickhouse, Camp Nelson C.
Eddie Russell, Master Distiller at the Wild Turkey distillery states:
Tasting through our barrel stock as our whiskies age and determining which are right for each release is one of my favorite parts of the job. When I tasted this liquid from Camp Nelson C, I knew it deserved its own place in Russell's history. It's a little different from what folks have come to expect from our whiskies, and even though we all personally enjoy different flavor profiles, Dad, myself and my son, Bruce all agreed instantly – this is a once in a blue moon kind of whiskey and deserving of being the first release in this special series. We hope everyone enjoys it as much as we do.
The inaugural release features liquid from 72 barrels from the now dismantled, seven-story rickhouse, Camp Nelson C. Built in 1946 and decommissioned in 2021, Camp Nelson C was situated on top of a hill and next to the Kentucky River, the warehouse was made from timber and clad with tin to naturally control internal temperatures, with space for air to circulate and allow the barrels to breathe during the aging process.
The release is aged 10 years and bottled at 112.4 proof (56.2% alcohol). It carries a whopping $249.99 MSRP and will be available at select retailers and at the Wild Turkey Distillery. It has the following tasting notes:
Nose: Sweet vanilla, caramel and cream that transition to fresh and dried fruit and then notes of brown sugar, oak and char.
Taste: Thick, rich and sweet introduction with notes of toffee, coconut and vanilla that transition to notes of apple, dried fruit, toasted pecan, chocolate and baking spices.
Finish: Long finish with silky and sweet mouthcoating that transitions to a pleasant balance of oak, baking spices and rich sweetness
My Take
The thought behind this is that each location in each rickhouse produces a distinct taste and flavor profile. This could be because of the air flow, temperature, etc. of that specific location. With that, this is a neat idea and not every distillery could do this because some rotate the barrels to ensure they get a uniform taste. At $250, this is a lot to pay for one bottle but it's the first edition of what will be an annual release so it's definitely worth picking up if you're at the distillery. Sadly, it's doubtful this will come to Ohio.
What do you think? Drop a note in the comments below.
Source: Russell's Reserve
No comments:
Post a Comment