This single barrel of Wilderness Trail is a barrel pick for Seelbachs online bottle sales. Matt and I really like the Wilderness Trail products. They are unusual in that they use the sweet mash procedure to make their whiskeys. They also use a low barrel entry proof in making their whiskey. In fact, they were making their rye whiskey at a barrel entry proof of about 100 proof, but Pat Heist told me they have raised it to be closer to 107. That makes sense in that 107 gives them more leeway to sell it as a bonded whiskey. They have an excellent private barrel selection program and this bottle is no exception. This was picked by the Seelbachs people. Seelbachs sells private barrel selections online. Matt and I tasted this barrel and here are our tasting notes.
Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Rye
Proof: 108
Age: Four Years, six months
Nose:
- Mike: Vanilla with ripe peaches and rye grass with a little nutmeg and sweet oak.
- Matt: Rye grass, citrus with a little grain notes, sweet oak and baking spices.
Taste:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla and peaches with cinnamon and nutmeg spice and sweet oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the spice becomes more of a white pepper. Tasted with a pecan and the oak comes forward with more caramel and chocolate than vanilla.
- Matt: Rye grass and cherries with notes of honey and a grassy field in summer. The dried cranberry brought out notes of rhubarb and honey with peppery spice – maybe a little cayenne pepper. The pecan brought out notes of lemon zest and enhanced the oak.
Finish:
- Mike: Long and dry with lots of oak tannins and spice. The dried cranberry added a note of pepper. The pecan made the finish very long with lingering notes of caramel and chocolate.
- Matt: Very strong finish with rye grass, oak and a little pepper spice. The dried cranberry made the finish very spicy with oak, pepper, tobacco and lingering rye grass.
I would pair this fine rye whiskey with a cigar with lots of vanilla and cedar spice in the smoke. I would reach for a Padron 1926 maduro and make it a No.1 at a 54 ring gauge and 6 ¾ length.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller