Wilderness Trail Small Batch Rye Review

Wilderness Trail
Small Batch
Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
Bottled In Bond
MSRP: $50
Review

Please enjoy my Wilderness Trail Small Batch Rye review!

Some Changes With The Wilderness Trail Line

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that I have been a huge Wilderness Trail Distillery fan ever since their first bourbon release. A couple of weeks ago I had posted about their new Small Batch Wheated Bourbon. I mentioned some of the changes they have going on, one of which is this new Bottled In Bond Small Batch Rye which is replacing their Settlers Select Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye in their core whiskey line up.

I really enjoy Wilderness Trail’s wheated bourbon and rye at barrel proof, and if you do too, don’t worry. They will still be available, but only through Wilderness Trail’s single barrel program. Their core line up will now be all Bottled In Bond small batch whiskeys – the wheated bourbon, the high rye bourbon and this rye whiskey.

What about this Wilderness Trail Small Batch Rye?

So what about this rye? Well, it’s the same mash bill and process as it’s always been: 56% rye, 33% corn, 11% malted barley. They always use a sweet mash and distill in a continuous copper column still. The rye distillate is barreled at 100 or 105 proof in char #4 barrels. This batch is close to 5 years old.

Tasting Notes – Wilderness Trail Small Batch Rye

Let’s taste it:

🛌 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉Nose: Citrus, like lemon and tangerines; honey, brown sugar, vanilla, butterscotch, rye spices, cedar, wintergreen; hint of sweet cherry candy and red delicious apples in the background with a light floral note – maybe violets? moderate alcohol
👉Taste: Citrus, oak, some char, rye bread, anise, caramel, cherry and quite a bit of rye spices, too
👉Finish: Capsaicin spice builds into the long finish, yet some sweetness, fruit, floral notes and butterscotch linger, too; moderate burn

Summary – Wilderness Trail Small Batch Rye Review

I am enjoying this rye, but I have mixed feelings. Here’s the thing: Wilderness Trail’s Barrel Strength Single Barrel Rye is one of my favorite ryes. That extra proof and the uniqueness of each barrel gives it exceptional, full, “in yo’ face” flavors which I just love. The Small Batch has those flavors, although they are a bit more balanced and consequently, subdued. In exchange, there are the noticeable cherry, apple, floral and butterscotch notes which are not as evident in the single barrels that I have had. At a recent tasting, in fact, the Small Batch Bottled In Bond Rye was the fan favorite. So definitely give it a try and see for yourself!

I hope you have enjoyed my Wilderness Trail Small Batch Rye review! Check out some more of my other Wilderness Trail whiskey reviews: Wilderness Trail Small Batch Wheated Bourbon Review, Wilderness Trail Settlers Select Rye Review and Wilderness Trail 6 Year Old Bourbon Review.

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