russell's reserve single rickhouse CN-F

While I haven't managed to find my own bottle of this particular bourbon (nor any in the Single Rickhouse series), I've been lucky to have kind and generous friends provide sample pours that have allowed me to taste all of them. This one, from the Camp Nelson F aging location, was given to me once again by the legendary Mac, who also provided me with a sample pour of Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse CN-B. If you're reading this Mac, thanks so much!

When I think about this one, my mind immediately goes to the first time I had it. It was the kickoff night on a trip to Philadelphia to visit one of my best friends. She and I went to a bar called Lloyd, one that she had never been to even as a local, to try to find some whiskey. The pour came at a hefty price, but it was the first time I had seen it in the wild... And, ya know, vacation, right? At the time, I remember thinking it was up there among the greats at the summit of what bourbon could be. The trip to Philly was also where I got the call the purchase my first bottle of Russell's Reserve 15, so there were many apexes at that time.

It took a subsequent visit, on the last day bookending the trip for my friend and I to realize that the bar was themed after The Shining. The decor made it obvious, but we must've just overlooked it while catching up on our first visit. That second visit, after a pour of Heaven Hill 18, I had yet another Single Rickhouse CN-F pour. I hadn't seen it at any other bar.

As described in my write-up of the Single Rickhouse CN-B pour, this series of expressions from Wild Turkey is meant to embody the spirit of their different aging locations. This whiskey, hailing from the Camp Nelson F campus, comes from barrels that aged on the fourth and fifth floors of that warehouse and is rumored to be between 10 and 15 years old. As I consider my tasting notes, I will be keeping in mind flavor profiles from CN-F sourced Russell's Reserve Private Selections I've tasted, of which there have been many.

Nose An in-your-face punchy aroma. Luxardo cherries, Coca Cola, and charred oak swirl together in a way that's almost maddeningly pleasant. Intermingling is what I can only describe as a "dusty oak funk." I'm forced to wonder if this is what is meant by "embodying the spirit of the aging location." The nose delivers the rickhouse to your glass.

Palate Toasted caramel and vanilla cream on the front palate, introducing a classic bourbon profile first and foremost. The mid-palate comes in with some more exotic flavors: Stone fruit, kola nut, and subtle old leather. As the bourbon coats the tongue, there is an effervescent quality like a soda. The deep palate harbors some spicy cinnamon and coriander notes.

Finish A high stamina, complex finish with notes of Perique oak and pipe tobacco. Hints of star anise and clove. It drinks slightly under proof, but not in a way that detracts from the punchiness.

Notes It's unfortunate that I have to start my closing notes about this immaculate bourbon by talking about the retail price. I try to avoid talking about matters of cost because typically, I want to talk about the whiskey. However, I find it to be critically important to note that I find these bottles in the Single Rickhouse series to be tragically overpriced. In my view, when it comes to bourbon you're paying for age, conscientiousness and craft knowledge in selection, distillate, and, let's be honest, marketing and brand loyalty. This series, in my opinion, has a little too much of that last thing and not enough of everything that comes before it. It is absurd to think that these bottles retail higher than Russell's Reserve 15-Year.

With that out of the way, my opinion remains the same as it did when I had that first pour at Lloyd. As with many of Wild Turkey's premier offerings, this liquid in my glass is an achievement of bourbon. I'm most impressed by the nose and what I described as "dusty oak funk." If you told me that this is the one aspect that was chosen to "embody the character" of Camp Nelson F, I would believe it. It's a rickhouse in a glass.