Wilderness Trail Small Batch Bottled in Bond
Wilderness Trail Distillery · Wilderness Trail Distillery, Danville, KY
Wilderness Trail is what happens when scientists build a distillery instead of inheriting one. The sweet mash process — fermenting with fresh yeast every batch rather than recycling spent mash — produces a remarkably clean, grain-forward bourbon that lets the wheat sing. At bottled-in-bond strength, it carries enough proof to deliver complexity without masking the delicate, biscuity sweetness that makes this wheated expression distinctive. This is bourbon as hypothesis confirmed.
Nose
Warm butterscotch and vanilla leap forward, followed by toasted wheat bread, gentle caramel, and a hint of orchard fruit.
Palate
Creamy and full-bodied with layers of caramel, soft wheat, and baking spice. The sweet mash process delivers a notably clean, bright grain character with none of the sour tang of traditional sour mash.
Finish
Medium-long with lingering butterscotch, toasted oak, and a gentle warmth that fades into sweet corn and vanilla.
- Mash Bill
- 64% Corn, 24% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley
Cocktail Suggestion
Cocktail — The Lab Rat: 2 oz Wilderness Trail BiB, 0.75 oz honey syrup, 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice, 2 dashes Angostura bitters. Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, garnish with a lemon twist.
Food Pairing
Pair with: Vanilla bean panna cotta with salted caramel drizzle — the dessert mirrors the bourbon's butterscotch sweetness while the salt lifts the wheat character.
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