Wilderness Trail 6 Year Bottled in Bond Bourbon (Wheated Bourbon)

Alright, this is a situation where you shouldn't judge a bottle by its initial pour. The first taste was dull, papery, and immature... and then, wow! This really developed and could now rival a certain popular single barrel. It's not as good as a specific cask strength rye (that's what the other brand's cask strength offering is for). This is very good, though, for only being six years old. This is a brand I've wanted to support for a while. However, I'm not a fan of most wheated bourbons because they tend to be underwhelming for me. Six-year bottled-in-bond, 100 proof, 64% corn, 24% malted barley, 12% wheat mash bill. Color: light to medium. Body: appears medium-thin in the glass with fleeting, thin legs. On the palate, it's light, with no burn but also doesn't coat the mouth in any way; it's not drying. Aroma: abundant wet wood, a touch of vanilla, and some tart apple follow. Taste: smells like brown tobacco, allspice, a hint of barrel char, Granny Smith apple, vanilla, more oak. Finish: a mild tingle on the tongue but no heat in the mouth or chest, mostly earthy with a hint of tart apple and vanilla. What it lacks: - Great value? (but what is truly a great value these days?) - Full body or oily texture - Significant complexity What it offers: - A craft, wheated whiskey - Approachable and suitable for all-day drinking - Light, slightly fruity with well-balanced oak, sweetness, and just enough spice to keep it engaging I'd compare this to another brand's entry-level offering and a well-known wheat whiskey. It's not as full-bodied or robust as a certain cask strength brand. The flavor-to-value ratio strongly favors the other wheat whiskey at $30. This offering is more balanced than the other brand I mentioned, and if you're willing to spend an additional $15 to support a craft distiller, it's a solid choice. It significantly outperforms a certain readily available Weller product, but at over three times the price, it certainly should! It might even compete with another highly-regarded bottling. The more I taste it, the more I appreciate it. It's a departure from the heavy cask strength options I usually seek, but it's certainly enjoyable!

Tasted neat, from the neck pour. I was surprised to find this in my area today, as I thought it was still a distillery-exclusive release. Alongside New Riff, Wilderness Trail is my favorite among the young distilleries. I've enjoyed all their releases and have had some excellent single barrels so far. I'm eager to see what an additional two years will offer. A very, very rich caramel leads the aroma, surrounded by a honey graham cracker crust. There's a hint of pepper and some peach with cinnamon. A deep leather note is present. Nothing truly stands out or draws me in; it's nice but just acceptable. It has a nice, thick texture that really coats the tongue. It feels very dark on the palate. Cinnamon and leather are prominent. It's more bitter and tannic than sweet initially. That rich caramel remains strong throughout this entire experience – I mean, strong. Calling it a caramel bomb doesn't do it justice; it's the most intense and unwavering caramel note I've ever encountered. It lingers for minutes after each sip. I'm starting to get a hint of oak at the front now. My goodness, it's just caramel. The oak transitions to a hint of chocolate in the legs. Okay, I'm starting to pick up that honey and graham cracker crust too. This has intense flavor. I wasn't prepared for that initial aroma. My eyes are even watering. Once that note hits, it doesn't relent for a solid 10 seconds, but then, even when it fades, it takes forever to disappear. I'm not sure what to think of this. I'm drawn to it, but perhaps not fully enjoying it. Yet, I want more. I'm going to let it open up before tasting it again.

I've been impressed with what the distillery has offered previously; let's examine how this new release compares. Nose is full of caramel, with notes of "new car seat" leather, pepper, clove, and a trace of char. The absence of ethanol is a welcome aspect. On the palate, caramel, nougat, cashew, and nutmeg come through, with just enough subtle oak to prevent it from being overly sweet. The flavors are smooth rather than intense. Finish echoes the clove from the nose, joined by a spice blend of cinnamon and allspice. The transition is seamless, but the finish is shorter than desired. Mouthfeel is excellent; thick and coating. Possibly the best characteristic of this bourbon. Here's the issue: while this is less sweet and less intense than the four-year version, I'm not entirely convinced it's an improvement for this flavor profile. I found it a bit dull. There's nothing objectionable, but considering the roughly $20 price increase over the 4-year expression, I don't foresee myself purchasing this again.

Pepper distilleries. I previously splurged on the wheated Bottled-in-Bond and didn't love it initially, but it grew on me and is an improvement over their 4-year offering, with more char and well-developed oak notes. This review focuses on the 6-year Bottled-in-Bond offering with 24% rye. It essentially takes their 4-year, 24% rye offering and adds more banana, toffee, and rye characteristics while still retaining the butterscotch and oak char. If anything, I'm a bit disappointed that the oak isn't more mature and that the banana esters are so prominent. For the price, I would stick with their 4-year offering and check back when they release their 8-year Bottled-in-Bond version in another year or so. Regarding their rye...

On the nose: butterscotch, snickerdoodle cookies, fruit, mint, herbs, leather, and oak. The fruit leans toward cherry and lemon, with mint, butterscotch, and milk chocolate. The leathery oak makes a welcome appearance at the end of the interesting aroma. I wouldn't have guessed wheated without tasting, but it's a very pleasing aroma. On the palate: caramel, mint, orange, and cherry arrive quickly. It's light and smooth on the tongue, with a nice texture to the bourbon. The wheat has kept the flavor and smoothness very much in tune for the style, and while the nose didn't strongly suggest wheat, the palate certainly does. It's a truly delectable bourbon. I can't stop drinking it, and it's easy to sip. The finish lasts longer than anticipated, though it's not as remarkable as the nose and palate. Overall, a very nice wheated bourbon and a pleasant surprise.

This is fantastic! I've been a devoted fan ever since I first tried the small batch BIB in a glencairn, the day it arrived at my local store... and this is honestly a worthy upgrade. Is it $80 for a 6-year bottled-in-bond? Yes... so what! It's absolutely beautiful. It has a great balance of wheat and a little spice, and the finish lasts forever with a wonderful warming heat. There's so much about this that makes it a solid choice for everyday drinking. I see Wilderness Trail as a young, very talented distillery that is producing some serious whiskey and can only get better as they hone their craft.