Compare
Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond vs Wild Turkey 81
Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond and Wild Turkey 81 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, wheat-forward craft style versus an old-guard, classically built classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond | Wild Turkey 81 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 64% corn, 24% wheat, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 6 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +19 proof | 81 proof (40.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $60 | ~$20 – $25 ~$30 less |
- Wild Turkey 81 does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Wild Turkey 81
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond Wild Turkey 81
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 6/3 fruit: Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 3 out of 10
heat 5/2 heat: Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 2 out of 10
nuttiness 4/2 nuttiness: Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 2 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 6 out of 10
spice 3/4 spice: Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 4 out of 10
oak 5/4 oak: Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Fruit character is what sets these apart.
- 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.
- 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.
Which One Should You Choose?
- 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.
- Go with Wild Turkey 81 if you want a lighter Wild Turkey built for mixing at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond); highball, cocktails (Wild Turkey 81).