
Wilderness Trail Cask Strength Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Wheated Mash Bill)
Wilderness Trail · Wilderness Trail Distillery
Wilderness Trail's sweet mash process and careful fermentation science pay dividends here. This cask strength wheated bourbon balances power and elegance in a way that rewards sipping neat. It's a serious whiskey from a distillery that earns its growing reputation through precision rather than hype.
Nose
Opens with brown butter and toasted wheat, layered over ripe cherry and a thread of vanilla bean. Caramel emerges slowly, with a faint floral lift that suggests wildflower meadow after rain.
Palate
Full-bodied and viscous, with butterscotch leading into dark cocoa and baking spices. The wheat softens the mid-palate beautifully, carrying maple syrup sweetness alongside charred oak tannins that keep everything structured.
Finish
Long and warming, with lingering charred oak, vanilla, and a dusting of pecan that fades gracefully.
- Mash Bill
- Wheat, Corn, Malted Barley (sweet mash)
- Barrel Type
- New charred American white oak
- Bottled in Bond
- No
- Single Barrel
- Yes
- Wheated
- Yes
Cocktail Suggestion
Danville Sour — 2 oz Wilderness Trail Cask Strength Wheated · 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice · 0.5 oz maple syrup · 1 egg white · Dry shake, then shake with ice, strain into a coupe, dash of Angostura.
Food Pairing
The bourbon's butterscotch sweetness and charred oak structure complement smoky rendered pork fat and caramelized peach, while wheat-driven softness tempers the richness.
Founded by biochemist Shane Baker and master distiller Pat Heist in Danville, Kentucky, Wilderness Trail applies fermentation science and sweet mash technique to bourbon-making on the rolling hills above the Salt River.
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Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey (Sweet Mash)
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