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Four Roses Small Batch vs Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Comparing Four Roses Small Batch and Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and a modern, wheated craft expression.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Small Batch | Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley | 64% corn, 24% wheat, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 6 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$32 – $38 ~$18 less | ~$45 – $60 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Four Roses Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Small Batch Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/3 spice: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10
fruit 7/6 fruit: Four Roses Small Batch 7 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Four Roses Small Batch 4 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Four Roses Small Batch 3 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
oak 5/5 oak: Four Roses Small Batch 5 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Four Roses Small Batch: Four Roses' yeast strains push this toward fruit and florals rather than wood. Red berry and cinnamon over a light body, with the rye showing up as brightness instead of bite.
- Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond: A sweet-mash, bonded wheated bourbon from a distillery founded by two fermentation scientists, and the technical care shows in how clean it tastes. One of the strongest craft arguments on the shelf.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Four Roses Small Batch if you want a fruit-and-floral profile that stands apart from the usual caramel-and-oak template at a lower price point.
- Go with Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded, sweet-mash wheater from a modern distillery doing genuinely careful work with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails (Four Roses Small Batch); neat, rocks (Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond).