Wilderness Trail Bourbon and Rye Single Barrel Bundle

Wilderness Trail Cask Strength Rye Whiskey S1B32

Brian Schmidt, Topflight Panel Member:

As far as cask-strength rye whiskey goes, this pour is among the best. Herbaceous and floral meet a gentle sweetness, yielding to a pure rye spice finish. Wilderness Trail is a brand that I've seen more and more of, and when we were booked to visit their Danville, KY, facilities to make a selection in July, I didn't know what to expect. For those unfamiliar with Danville, it's in the middle of nowhere, and being only loosely familiar with Wilderness Trail, I was expecting a small operation akin to Yellowstone (Limestone Branch Distillery) or perhaps Peerless. What we found was a large and rapidly growing facility with impeccable black rickhouses with the Wilderness Trail logo emblazoned in white sitting atop gorgeous rolling hills. With more than 100k barrels aging, this brand is getting ready for the future, and if you're ever in the area, I highly recommend stopping by to see it. Now back to the pick. We've got a 4-year and 5-month-old rye whiskey bottled at a cask strength of 108.23 proof. It could be mistaken for a bourbon on the nose, but the finish is all rye. A really complex and unique rye whiskey from their Family Reserve.

TOPFLIGHT: Series 1, Barrel No. 32

PROOF: 108.23

AGE: 4.5 years

MASHBILL: 56% Rye, 33% Corn, 11% Malted Barley

Wilderness Trail Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey S1B33

Brian Schmidt, Topflight Panel Member:

One of those barrels we didn't expect to happen, this Wilderness Trail Bourbon is a treat in more ways than one. It's an exceptionally smooth pour with a little bit of funk to it. Caramel, fruit, and marzipan on the palate and an evolving woodiness in a long, pleasant finish. More so, this is a pour you should try multiple ways. Pour it, let it sit in the glass, add a couple of drops of water and try it with some ice. Each version has something new and different to offer, each with its own merit. There are many kinds of exceptional when it comes to single barrels, and this one just happens to have multiple variations along the way. My personal favorite is served over an ice ball or large ice cube. I highly recommend trying side by side with our Cask Strength Rye selection for a truly unique tasting from Wilderness Trail.

TOPFLIGHT: Series 1, Barrel No. 33

AGE: 4 years, 11 months

MASHBILL: 64% Corn, 24% Rye, 12% Malted Barley