Wilderness Trail
Small Batch
Straight Rye Whiskey
Age: 7 Years
Bottled In Bond
MSRP: $75

Please enjoy our Wilderness Trail 7 Year Rye Review!

First There Was Small Batch Bottled In Bond Rye…Now It Is 7 Years Old

Well, things just keep moving forward at Wilderness Trail Distillery. It seems like just last year they released their Small Batch Bottled In Bond Rye. Now, they are releasing their Small Batch Bottled In Bond Rye that is 7 years old! I have had a lot of Wilderness Trail’s whiskeys, but this is the first of their ryes that I have tried of that age.

The 7 Year Rye Was Made in Wilderness Trail’s Early Days

Other than the age, and being a small batch rather than a single barrel, everything is the same as it has been. The Wilderness Trail 7 Year Rye mash bill is no longer on the label. However, we will assume it is the same: sweet mash, 56% rye, 33% corn & 11% malted barley.

This rye was distilled back in the early days of Wilderness Trail Distillery. Therefore, I suspect that it was pot distilled, even though it says column still on the label. The column still became operational in June 2016, I believe, and it is now April 2023. So….if the rye is 7 years old, it couldn’t have been made on the column still. Likewise, they experimented with different barrel entry proofs back then. Therefore, this rye may or may not have been barreled at the same 100 or 105 entry proof that is used for the regular small batch rye release.

A Rye Whiskey Made With Kentucky Rye?

Many people have said that you can’t make a rye whiskey from Kentucky rye. Well, the folks at Wilderness Trail never believed that. Their rye is locally grown at Caverndale Farms. My understanding is that Kentucky rye is a smaller grain than some other ryes and is indeed fairly difficult to work with, although all rye is to some degree. Nonetheless, it can certainly be used to make a wonderful rye whiskey!

Tasting Notes – Wilderness Trail 7 Year Rye Review

Let’s taste it:

Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

Nose: Fresh citrus, like orange peels and limes; rye spices with noticeable cloves; thick brown sugar; a bit of confectioners’ sugar and a touch of burnt caramel and vanilla; alcohol is present but not overpowering
Taste: Both brown sugar and simple syrup sweetness balanced by lots of citrus, notably lime; the cloves and other rye spices add nice complexity
Finish: White pepper spice rapidly builds; citrus lingers but diminishes; sweetness also fades to be replaced by a bit of cooling, possibly from some subtle wintergreen; light barrel char joins in to hang out til the end; long finish with a moderate burn

This is a delicious rye. It is the perfect combination of the “bite” that one expects from a rye, with plenty of citrus and rye spices. But, the full bodied brown sugar that is present throughout mellows those flavors. The vanilla is a bit of a very welcome surprise. That’s likely thanks to the combination of the relatively high corn content and the age, allowing the sharper flavors to mellow a bit and to let more barrel flavors come through.

Conclusion – I’m A Fan!

I have been a fan of Wilderness Trail’s rye since it was first released in maybe late 2018 or 2019. If memory serves me, it was released in Washington D.C. first (!!) before it was released in Kentucky! Yeah, I hold a grudge. However, from my first taste, I knew this was a rye that I would always have on my bar, and that still holds true today. So I am very excited about this 7 year old Wilderness Trail Rye, and am glad, but certainly not surprised, that it lives up to my expectations!

Are you a Wilderness Trail Rye fan? Have you tried the new 7 Year Rye? What did you think? Cheers!

We hope you have enjoyed our Wilderness Trail 7 Year Rye Review! Would you like to read about another older whiskey from Wilderness Trail Distillery? Check out our Wilderness Trail 8 Year Bourbon Review!

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