Wilderness Trail Settlers Select Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye

Toasted marshmallow with a well established oaky finish and minimal lingering heat

Without a way to thread posts on Distiller I will point out that this is part of a series of posts regarding Bulleit, Wilderness Trail and James E. Pepper distillery tours. Coming from their wheated offering, to their high rye offering to this I can say there is a clear progression. For a rye it is highly unusual though. What shines through is their butterscotch note, something I don't get on any other rye. The palate carries forward the toffee and butterscotch notes and adds oak, black pepper and now a bit of rye roll. The overt sweetness is probably due to, at least in part, the sweet mash process. I think I honestly prefer sour mash for that slightly acidic bite it tends to yield but to each their own. Mouthfeel is medium to heavy. If you want a truly unique rye and don't want a ton of spice then look no further. If you like more heat and spice or are a fan of 95-100% herbal ryes then this is not your thing. I could pontificate on age and complain about youth but I would not hesitate to plunk down cash for a 6-7 year offering of this if the spice notes build. Of all their current offerings their 24% rye mash bill, 4y BiB bourbon seems to be my personal favorite. You may be different and if you have $50-75 to burn then I encourage you to explore their offerings because I love what they're doing. If value is your thing I would say hold off on anything besides the 4y 24% rye if you're a butterscotch/toffee fan because, well, it's just expensive stuff thanks to paying for new infrastructure. Next up is James E MGPepper...

Good rye

#16B21T 53% Funky, off-putting nose. Mint, eucalyptus, good n plenty, and a faint lemon peel. Glass residue brings out a tinny molasses. Mouth coating with a kentucky hug. I would love this bottle if it weren't for the nose.

It’s perfectly fine, but there are simply too many ryes that are better than this near and below this price point to justify this bottle for me.

Great notes of apple, honey, and herbs that I can't quite pick out.