Wilderness Trail Distillery is a craft operation that was launched in 2012 in Bold Danville, Kentucky. Mixing old traditions with modern science, they aim to create fine bourbon and other spirits. Founded by Shane Baker and Pat Heist, a pair with over 20 years of experience with fermentation and alcohol production under their belts, they craft unique spirits using locally-grown grains. Their spirits are hand-crafted and they pride themselves on being "not interested in making the most, just the best." The founders were left with several yeast strains they had collected over the years in the industry and put them to good use in the distillery. The premium corn, wheat, and rye are sourced from the nearby Caverndale Farms and Walnut Grove Farms from Adairville, Kentucky, while their malted barley comes from Louisville. The natural Kentucky limestone springwater completes the 100% Kentucky list of ingredients. Their production methods include the proprietary Infusion Mashing Process, which together with their unique yeast strains results in a softer and uniquely flavorful distillate. They are the first Kentucky bourbon distillery to use a chemical-free clean steam boiler that minimizes off flavors. Instead of sour mash, they rely on a sweet mash, which enables more flavors to be extracted from the grains. They employ a hybrid pot still, as well as two continuous column stills. All the whiskey is distilled, aged, and bottled on-site. Wilderness Trail produces bourbon, rye whiskey, vodka, and bourbon barrel-aged rum. The Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey expression employs their sweet mash process and the spirit is barrelled at 100 and 105 proof. These numbers used to be higher, so the final proof of the bottles can vary. Crafted from a mash bill of 56% Kentucky-grown Heritage rye (from the local KY Proud farm), 33% corn, and 11% malted barley, the rye whiskey is then aged for a minimum of 4 years and up to 8 years in the upper floors of their rickhouses. 

Look for the silver label

Wilderness Trail Distillery fans who have been enjoying side-by-side comparisons of its yellow label wheated Bourbon and its black label small batch rye Bourbon may now take their analogies to the next level. Look for the silver label with a “6” on the neck tag to indicate that it’s Wilderness Trail 6-year wheated Bourbon or 6-year rye Bourbon. Our Visitors Center is one place to find the bottled in bond goodness of the 6-year small batch rye Bourbon. However, the Visitors Center has sold out of the 6-year wheated Bourbon. Bottles are $69.

The other releases by the Danville distillery, owned by Shane Baker and Dr. Pat Heist, have been four- and five-year-old, bottled in bond Bourbons and a cask strength rye whiskey of similar age expressions.

Everyone wants to know a little bit about how the 6-year-old tastes. Well, your tasting notes would be different from your friend’s and so forth. Let’s just say that the extra two years in the barrel has elevated an already remarkable Bourbon to an even higher level.

Wilderness Trail Distillery is a craft operation that was launched in 2012 in Bold Danville, Kentucky. Mixing old traditions with modern science, they aim to create fine bourbon and other spirits. Founded by Shane Baker and Pat Heist, a pair with over 20 years of experience with fermentation and alcohol production under their belts, they craft unique spirits using locally-grown grains. Their spirits are hand-crafted and they pride themselves on being "not interested in making the most, just the best." The founders were left with several yeast strains they had collected over the years in the industry and put them to good use in the distillery. The premium corn, wheat, and rye are sourced from the nearby Caverndale Farms and Walnut Grove Farms from Adairville, Kentucky, while their malted barley comes from Louisville. The natural Kentucky limestone springwater completes the 100% Kentucky list of ingredients. Their production methods include the proprietary Infusion Mashing Process, which together with their unique yeast strains results in a softer and uniquely flavorful distillate. They are the first Kentucky bourbon distillery to use a chemical-free clean steam boiler that minimizes off flavors. Instead of sour mash, they rely on a sweet mash, which enables more flavors to be extracted from the grains. They employ a hybrid pot still, as well as two continuous column stills. All the whiskey is distilled, aged, and bottled on-site. Wilderness Trail produces bourbon, rye whiskey, vodka, and bourbon barrel-aged rum. Their Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon expression is made in 12-barrel batches, one fermenter's worth. Crafted from a mash bill of 64% corn, 24% rye, and 12% malted barley, the spirit employs their sweet mash technique and uses their proprietary yeast strains. It enters the barrels at 110 proof and is aged on different floors of their rickhouses before being bottled at 100 proof. 

Our high in small grain Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys are offered as a Small Batch  – Bottled in Bond. The Small Batch selection offers nuances only premium cooper select barrels can create from their toasting and using 18-month-old air-dried staves. After all, the barrels impart a large part of the flavor.

In addition, the Bottled in Bond gives you assurance the Bourbon was properly distilled, aged between 5-6 years and bottled by us under the supervision of the U.S. Government at 100 proof.