“WHISKEY-MAS” DEAL #9 | OUR FIRST “BARREL PICK” | WILDERNESS TRAIL HIGH RYE, CASK STRENGTH | AND SOX?!?

Wilderness Trail “BARREL PICK – CVW&S 2020,” High Rye, Cask Strength Bourbon (2 Btls) + CUSTOM PAIR OF BOURBON SOX

(Danville, Kentucky)

$154.95+/retail Package

WHISKEY-MAS $130/package

(16% OFF- NO DEEPER DISCOUNTS)

YOUR SELECTION FOR CORRECT SOX SIZE

TWO BOTTLES – PAIR OF SOX – $130

This is the FIRST “BARREL PICK” for CVW&Sand the partnership with WILDERNESS TRAIL has been an epoch experience.  Wilderness Trail quickly became one of “TOP-SELLING” BOURBON/RYE labels here at CVW&S being released in California (first time ever) in 2019!  With the ever-growing demand for their Whiskey’s and being propositioned with our own possible “BARREL PICK” it seemed, well, serendipitous.

Participating in the selection process for the first time, we received classy, almost “gift” package which contained the following: four different sample bottles, brochures, technical analysis sheets and even some badass pins!  If they put that attention to detail into just the “sample pack,” imagine the scrupulous protocols for their distilling and barreling practices.  But then again, it’s Wilderness Trail!

WHO IS WILDERNESS TRAIL…

“After years of working with distilleries around the world to provide advice and fermentation products, we launched our premium craft distillery in 2012 with a focus on making the highest quality Bourbon, Rye Whiskey, Vodka and Bourbon Barrel-Aged Rum. Founders Shane Baker and Pat Heist are fermentation experts with more than 20 years of experience in the production of alcohol and some of the best brands on the market today. Their specialty is making unique spirits from locally-grown grains to ensure quality, and adding a healthy dose of science in the process. “

Cool factoid #2 is: “another unique distinction of their whiskey as it’s always made with Sweet Mash instead of the Sour Mash technique. They were the first of Kentucky’s distillers to embrace the sweet mash process as our sole mashing technique. By not acidifying the mash, they are able to bring more flavors forward from the grains with a softer finish, just as in preparing a fine meal.”  This process allows more chance for errors but will always create a unique/distinctive flavor for each distillation.

On SAMPLING Day 1, we tasted blind and created notes based in the order of which we tasted, and then selected our favorites samples 1-4 (one being the best).  With over 18+ years’ experience tasting/buying wine, and seeing how oxygen affects its overall composition, and noticing a similarity with spirits, we opted to wait on deciding and give them some time to rest.  Oxygen is not the “Kiss of Death” for spirits, like it is wine, but it does slowly influence the spirit and in this case, the three-week break between our initial sample tasting, to our SELECTION DAY tasting, made a huge difference!

When making our selection, once again blind, the ONE we chose, the ONE that stood out over all the rest, finished dead last in the initial tasting.  Why?!?  Because it was to wound up in the small bottle and at 118 PROOF came out HOT!  Real hot. 

The three-week hiatus allowed this CASK STRENGTH, AGED 5 YEARS & 5 MONTHS, HIGH-RYE BOURBON to turn into an ABSOLUTE STUNNER!  It revealed flavors or orange peel, toffee, caramel, all while living up to an elegant 118 PROOF, that now released a delightful, full-flavored, MEMORABLE FINISH. Having that three-week break from SAMPLING DAY 1-to-SELECTION DAY, without a doubt, allowed us to make the best decision choosing the correct BARREL PICK!

Friday, our first ever “BARREL PICK” finally arrived and we have 208 BOTTLES to be sell!  Anxious to taste this 64% Corn, 24% Rye and 12% Malted Barley, CASK STRENGTH, 118 PROOF Bourbon, we cracked a bottle.  Maybe it was a couple more months in barrel (we tasted our sample at 5 YEARS & 3 MONTHS, but this was bottled at 5 YEARS & 5 MONTHS), the larger bottle, more resting time, but whatever the case, the first DRAM we poured was DOWNRIGHT DELICIOUS!  The question isn’t if you will BUY ONE BOTTLE?  The question HOW CAN YOU NOT BUY TWO?!?  

First and foremost, this CASK STRENGTH, HIGH-RYE BOURBON, is WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY at $70/bottle.  Tasting it side-by-side against the Wilderness Trail 6-YEAR, 100 PROOF (same mash bill as ours), it’s a completely different animal. Basically, imagine the 100 PROOF like BABE RUTH hitting a baseball with a wood bat and then OUR 118 PROOF like the BABE hitting with an ALUMINUM BAT.  Yeah, the difference is that IMPRESSIVE!

Now, if you buy TWO BOTTLES of our WILDERNESS TRAIL “BARREL PICK” CVW&S 2020 HIGH-RYE BOURBON, not only will get you two bottles of Bourbon for $65/per bottle, but also your OWN PAIR OF CUSTOM CVW&S SOX!  It’s time to up your game and have no shame, wearing what you drink with the 2020 CVW&S “WILDERNESS TRAIL” Barrel Pick Sock. Hand printed by Auburn’s own WISHIWAZFISHIN (also, if you’re into Disc Golf…click here) duo Chris & Kelly Hollingsworth, these precision made, high quality socks are designed for performance, leisure (drinking spirits) and everything in between.  Again, this TWO BOTTLE & PAIR OF SOX is $130/package (plus tax).

Cheers, The CV Crew

FIND US ~

Book online: CarpeVinoAuburn
Phone: (530) 823-0320
Email: info@carpevinoauburn.com


Restaurant: 1568 Lincoln Way, Auburn     Bottle Shop: 165 Court Street, Auburn