Wilderness Trail was founded in Danville, Kentucky in 2013 by two fermentation scientists who spent a decade consulting for much of the American whiskey industry before building their own distillery, and the production choices reflect exactly that background. This bourbon is bottled in bond, which is not marketing language but a federal standard dating to 1897: the product of one distilling season at one distillery, aged at least four years in a government supervised bonded warehouse, and bottled at precisely 100 proof. The distillery's permit number, DSP-KY-20005, appears on the label as the law requires. Two things set the whiskey apart beyond the bond. Wilderness Trail uses sweet mash rather than the sour mash almost universal in Kentucky, beginning each fermentation fresh rather than carrying backset forward from the previous batch. That demands considerably more rigorous sanitation and leaves less margin for error, but it produces a cleaner, softer spirit, and they were the first Kentucky distillery to commit to it. The whiskey also enters the barrel at 110 proof, where 125 is the industry standard, and comes off the still at around 137. A lower entry proof means more water in the barrel, which changes what the spirit draws from the wood, pulling more sugars and less harsh tannin. Barrels are cooper select with 18 month air dried staves, toasted and number four charred, and the whiskey is bottled unfiltered. Expect butterscotch, ripe peach and red apple with oak and brown sugar, then malt, cinnamon, black pepper and orange peel across a rounded palate.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
50% |
| Proof |
100 |
| Size |
750ml |
| Country |
United States |
| Region |
Danville, Kentucky |
| Category |
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey |
| Expression |
Small Batch, Bottled in Bond |
| Batch |
15J01L |
| Fermentation |
Sweet mash |
| Barrel Entry Proof |
110 |
| Maturation |
Cooper select barrels, 18 month air dried staves, toasted and #4 char |
| Age |
Minimum 4 years, bottled in bond standard |
| Filtration |
Non chill filtered |
| DSP |
DSP-KY-20005 |
| Distillery |
Wilderness Trail Distillery, founded 2013 |
Tasting Notes
Color: Rich amber, falling down the glass in thick legs.
Nose: Butterscotch and ripe peach with a hint of red apple, rounded out by oak and brown sugar.
Palate: Malt and brown sugar lead, with cinnamon and black pepper providing a robust spicy character, smoothed by oak and a lift of orange peel.
Finish: Warming and of good length, closing on oak, spice and lingering sweetness.
FAQ
What proof is Wilderness Trail Bourbon? Exactly 100 proof, or 50 percent alcohol by volume. Bottled in bond whiskey must legally be bottled at that strength.
What does bottled in bond mean? A federal standard requiring the whiskey to be the product of a single distilling season at a single distillery, aged at least four years in a government supervised bonded warehouse, and bottled at exactly 100 proof. The distillery's permit number appears on the label.
What is sweet mash? Each fermentation starts fresh rather than using backset from the previous batch, which is the standard sour mash method. Wilderness Trail was the first Kentucky distillery to adopt sweet mash, and it requires far more rigorous sanitation.
Why does barrel entry proof matter? This whiskey enters the barrel at 110 proof where 125 is standard in Kentucky. More water in the barrel changes the extraction, drawing more sugars and less harsh tannin from the wood.
What are cooper select barrels? Barrels made from staves air dried for eighteen months before coopering, then toasted and given a number four char. Extended air drying reduces harsh tannins in the wood.
Where can I buy Wilderness Trail Bourbon online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
