Wilderness Trail Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Bottled in Bond

Wilderness Trail Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Bottled in Bond

Official bottling
Single rye - Kentucky
Amber gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pineapples, barley sugar, corn syrup, brown paper, vanilla, caramel, hints of coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, evaporates, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Vanilla, caramel, pear drops, brown sugar, corn syrup, barley sugar, hints of evaporated milk. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, caramel, black pepper, barley sugar. 

Comments: 

Quite strong ABV wise (or at least it tastes that way). It’s quite sweet with plenty of cereal notes coming through, with creaminess and also a hint of savoury coffee notes. Good peppery finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Wilderness Trail Settler Select Rye

Wilderness Trail Settler Select Rye

Official bottling
Single rye - Kentucky

Amber gold
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, peanut butter, magic marker, black pepper, chocolate, leather. With water, magic marker, black pepper, cream, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, volatile, expands. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Magic marker, chocolate, peanut butter, black pepper, camphor, peppermint, blackcurrant cordial, hints of leather. With water, camphor, peppermint, peanut butter. 
Finish: Medium. Brown paper, camphor, peanut butter, chocolate. 

Comments: 

Sweet and chocolatey, perhaps a bit less spicy than some other ryes. Water brings out some peppermint and peanut butter. If a sweet tasted like this (perhaps a chocolate truffle) I’d scoff a lot of them.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Wilderness Trail 4yo Family Reserve, for the British Bourbon Society

Wilderness Trail 4yo Family Reserve, for the British Bourbon Society

Official bottling
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber brown
56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, bananas, cinnamon, persimmons, caramel, raisins, milk powder. With water, cream, prunes, cinnamon, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Milk powder, cream, cinnamon, icing sugar, raisins, prunes, hints of sea salt. With water, raisins, blackberries, prunes, milk powder. 
Finish: Short. Milk powder, cream, prunes, cinnamon, raisins. 

Comments: 

Barrel 15D07. Fruity, milky, a hint of sea salt - this is what I always look for in a bourbon! Trust the British Bourbon Society to pick something that appeals massively to Scotch drinkers. Brilliant whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Family Reserve

Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Family Reserve 

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - Kentucky 
Amber 

56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, brown paper, milk chocolate, sea salt, vanilla, fresh baked bread, cinnamon, nutmeg. With water, honey, damson jam, nutmeg, vanilla, bananas. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Brown paper, milk chocolate, raisins, nutmeg, vanilla, black tea, brown paper, damson jam. With water, damson jam, black tea, orange peel, nutmeg. 
Finish: Short. Damson jam, raisins, milk chocolate, cinnamon, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Barrel 17802-2. Spicy and salty bourbon, with plenty of fruity top notes. There’s a lot to unpack here, and the cask strength helps the complexity. Water opens it up a little but the chocolate disappears.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Wilderness Trail 6yo 2014

Wilderness Trail 6yo 2014

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - Kentucky 
Amber red 
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, blackcurrant cordial, strawberry jam, cinnamon, cloves, honey, oak chips, cough syrup. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Black tea, oak chips, strawberry jam, toast, cough syrup, vanilla, sea salt, hints of charcoal ash. 
Finish: Medium. Charcoal ash, black tea, oak chips, sea salt, toast, hints of honey. 

Comments: 

DSP-KY-20005. Quite a smoky and savoury bourbon, but also very sweet. Lots of jammy notes as well as a lot of wood-driven vanillin. Very decent for its age, and bottled at a nice strength too. 

Verdict:

I like this.