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Wild Turkey 81 vs Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Wild Turkey 81 and Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus a new-wave, wheat-forward craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Wild Turkey 81 | Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 64% corn, 24% wheat, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 6 years |
| Proof | 81 proof (40.5% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +19 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$20 – $25 ~$30 less | ~$45 – $60 |
- Wild Turkey 81 does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Wild Turkey 81
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Wild Turkey 81 Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 3/6 fruit: Wild Turkey 81 3 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
heat 2/5 heat: Wild Turkey 81 2 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 2/4 nuttiness: Wild Turkey 81 2 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Wild Turkey 81 6 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10
spice 4/3 spice: Wild Turkey 81 4 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: Wild Turkey 81 4 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Fruit character is what sets these apart.
- Wild Turkey 81: The same mash bill and No. 4 char as Wild Turkey 101, cut to 81 proof. Honey and toffee come through clearly, but the body and spice are much lighter.
- 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 Wild Turkey 81 if you want a lighter Wild Turkey built for mixing at a significantly 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 highball, cocktails (Wild Turkey 81); neat, rocks (Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond).