Kentucky’s Wilderness Trail Offers New Private Single Barrel Collection

Despite being only 13 years old, Danville, Kentucky’s Wilderness Trail Distillery has garnered a reputation among enthusiasts, driven in large part by their devotion to rigorous scientific technique in making bourbon. The distillery has now launched a new collection of single barrel whiskeys, each reflecting one of the major whiskeys produced there.

The collection features three distinct 6 year old, single-barrel, cask-strength, non-chill filtered expressions including a Wheated Bourbon, a High-Rye Bourbon, and a Rye Whiskey. Each is produced using Wilderness Trail’s Sweet Mash process, proprietary yeast strains, and a Level 4 Alligator Char barrel profile to deliver elevated flavor definition and barrel complexity.

“At six years, our single barrels hit the sweet spot where our sweet mash fermentation and proprietary yeast strains deliver layered complexity without sacrificing balance,” said Dr. Pat Heist, Co-Owner and Chief Scientific Officer of Wilderness Trail Distillery. “The Wheated, High-Rye bourbon, and Rye Whiskey selections let enthusiasts choose between softer high-wheat elegance and the vibrant spice and herbal nuance of rye, each barrel a distinct expression of science meeting tradition.”

The collection consists of:

• Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon 6-Year-Old Private Barrel ($70): Bottled at cask strength and featuring a high-wheat mash bill for a uniquely soft and rich flavor, the Wheated Bourbon features a mash bill of 64% corn, 24% wheat, and 12% malted barley using proprietary yeast strains. This is one of Kentucky’s highest wheat ratios, resulting in a softer, more nuanced flavor profile. Aged in #4 char barrels and entered at 110 proof, the tasting profile is characterized by sweet and nutty notes, encompassing vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, and stone fruit. Secondary notes include baking spice, oak, and barrel char.
• Kentucky Straight High-Rye Bourbon 6-Year-Old Private Barrel ($70): Bold and complex, the High Rye Bourbon is crafted with a unique mash bill of 64% corn, 24% rye, and 12% malted barley using proprietary yeast strains. Aged in #4 char barrels and entered at 110 proof, this bourbon stands out for its distinctly spicier, herbal, and botanical flavor profile. With balanced notes of rye spice, herbal complexity, and a hint of mint, the profile is complemented by aromatic tobacco, oak, cherry, citrus, and vanilla, underscored by a subtle smokiness.
• Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey 6-Year-Old Private Barrel ($80): Crafted with 56% rye, 33% corn, and 11% malted barley, this refined Wilderness Trail mash bill presents a well-balanced flavor profile, engineered to showcase broader complexity and balance than conventional high-rye recipes. Aged in #4 char barrels at 105 proof, it’s a true Kentucky original. Approachable and smooth, layered notes of plum, green apple and citrus are complemented by vanilla and baking spice, enhanced by gentle oak, barrel char, and subtle hints of mint, herbs, and botanicals.

The new collection will ship in January 2026.