Wilderness Trail Wheated Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Wilderness Trail · Wilderness Trail Distillery
Wilderness Trail's scientific approach to fermentation pays clear dividends here. This wheated single barrel delivers a remarkably balanced pour that rewards patience and attention. It's a textbook example of how grain selection can shape personality without relying on extreme age or proof.
Nose
Warm butterscotch and ripe red apple lead, followed by a wave of soft wheat and toasted vanilla. Underneath sits a thread of caramel corn and faint floral sweetness.
Palate
The entry is creamy and buttery, with maple syrup and baked cherry developing across the mid-palate. Charred oak emerges gradually, providing structure without bitterness, while a gentle wheat sweetness ties it together.
Finish
Long and warming, with lingering butterscotch, a touch of leather, and fading vanilla bean. The wheat influence keeps the close soft and approachable.
- Mash Bill
- 51% Corn, 45% Wheat, 4% Malted Barley
- Barrel Type
- New charred American white oak (Level 4 char)
- Bottled in Bond
- No
- Single Barrel
- Yes
- Wheated
- Yes
Cocktail Suggestion
Danville Paper Plane — 1 oz Wilderness Trail Wheated · 1 oz Aperol · 1 oz Amaro Nonino · 1 oz fresh lemon juice · Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, garnish with a lemon twist.
Food Pairing
A warm brown butter pecan tart with a pinch of flaky sea salt mirrors the bourbon's butterscotch and nut character while the pastry crust echoes its toasted wheat notes.
Founded by Dr. Pat Heist and Shane Baker, Wilderness Trail in Danville, Kentucky brings microbiology expertise to bourbon-making, fermenting with proprietary sweet mash techniques that push flavor development in directions most distilleries never consider.
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