Wilderness Trail Distillery Unveils Two Special-Edition Kentucky Exclusives, Including Bourbon Hall of Fame Release

10-Year-Old “Symphony of Disruption” Bourbon Celebrates Co-Founders Induction into the Kentucky Distillers' Association Bourbon Hall of Fame Alongside Rare 8-Year-Old Cask Strength Rye Whiskey

DANVILLE, KY, SEPT 14, 2026— Wilderness Trail Distillery, renowned for using modern science to optimize old-world distilling traditions, announces two limited-edition expressions, led by “Symphony of Disruption” - a commemorative bourbon celebrating the induction of Co-Founders Dr. Pat Heist and Shane Baker into the 24th annual Kentucky Distillers' Association Bourbon Hall of Fame. The release is accompanied by an 8-Year-Old Cask Strength Kentucky Rye Whiskey, showcasing the maturation and evolution of the distillery's whiskey-making philosophy. Both whiskeys are available exclusively at Wilderness Trail’s on-site retail shop for local fans and visitors to the Danville, Kentucky distillery.

A Hall of Fame Spirit: “Symphony of Disruption” 10-Year-Old Wheated Small Batch Kentucky Bourbon

Crafted by co-founders Shane Baker and Dr. Pat Heist, Symphony of Disruption is a 10-Year-Old Wheated Kentucky Bourbon made from just three barrels. The name is a nod to both the founders' musical roots and Wilderness Trail's reputation as bourbon's "sweet mash disruptors” - challenging decades of conventional wisdom by championing sweet mash fermentation as the foundation of Wilderness Trail's whiskey-making ethos.

"Our career has been rooted in science, curiosity, and a willingness to challenge convention,” shared Dr. Pat Heist, Co-Founder and Wilderness Trail Chief Scientific Officer. "Being inducted into the Bourbon Hall of Fame is an incredible honor, and Symphony of Disruption captures the spirit that fueled our journey from fermentation consultants and musicians to Kentucky distillers. This release celebrates the belief that innovation and tradition can coexist, and that sometimes meaningful progress comes from disrupting the status quo."

Bottled at 122.9 proof, the Symphony of Disruption is a non-chill filtered bourbon delivering aromas of clove, brown sugar, baking spice and cedar, followed by notes of warm spice, caramel apple and crème brûlée on the palate. A long, semi-dry finish showcases toasted oak and tobacco. One of the most significant releases in the distillery’s portfolio, the batch ties ten years of whiskey maturation to career achievements decades in the making. With only 414 bottles (69 cases) available, this limited-edition expression will be available for $189.99 a bottle exclusively at the Wilderness Trail Distillery.

An 8-Year-Old Cask Strength Rye

The second release in the collection, Wilderness Trail’s 8-Year-Old Cask Strength Kentucky Rye Whiskey, was selected by National Brand Ambassador, Haley Perros, and the Wilderness Trail distillery team. Crafted from the brand’s signature mash bill, the rye highlights the fruit-forward style and balance that have become hallmarks of Wilderness Trail's rye program. Representing the maturation of the distillery's rye program, the release reflects Wilderness Trail's long-standing commitment to precision fermentation and quality-focused production.

The 8-Year-Old rye opens with aromas of sweet red apple, spice and burnt caramel, evolving into flavors of vanilla pudding, baking spice, tobacco and confectionery sugar. A medium-to-long finish reveals notes of apple, hazelnut and subtle barrel char, resulting in a whiskey that is both robust and remarkably approachable at cask strength. Bottled at 116.1 proof and limited to 408 bottles (68 cases), it will be available for $79.99 exclusively at Wilderness Trail Distillery.

For an industry built on tradition, Baker and Heist built their respective careers challenging convention. Long before launching Wilderness Trail in 2012, the pair established themselves as some of the industry's most influential fermentation experts, helping distilleries around the world optimize production, improve consistency, and better understand the science behind whiskey making. Their advocacy for sweet mash whiskey production and data-driven distilling practices has helped establish new production benchmarks that continue to influence modern American whiskey making.

Together, the two limited-edition distillery exclusives honor the pioneering spirit that helped transform Wilderness Trail from a fermentation consultancy into one of Kentucky's most respected whiskey producers, highlighting the long-term maturation potential of the distillery's whiskey program.

"We never set out to follow the traditional playbook," said Shane Baker, Co-Founder and CEO at Wilderness Trail Distillery. "We believed there were opportunities to improve whiskey quality through experimentation and a deeper understanding of fermentation. To see those ideas embraced by the industry and recognized by the Bourbon Hall of Fame is incredibly meaningful.”

Availability

Symphony of Disruption 10-Year-Old Wheated Small Batch Kentucky Bourbon (SRP $189.99) and 8-Year-Old Cask Strength Kentucky Rye Whiskey (SRP $79.99) will be available starting in September, exclusively at the Wilderness Trail Distillery Visitor Center in Danville, Kentucky - while supplies last.

ABOUT WILDERNESS TRAIL DISTILLERY

Wilderness Trail Distillery is a premium Kentucky Bourbon and Rye Whiskey producer located in Danville, Kentucky. Started in 2012 by industry experts Dr. Pat Heist and Shane Baker, Wilderness Trail Distillery is known for its unsparing, ultramodern approach to making whiskey, and is a proud member of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Heritage member of the Kentucky Distillers Association. Wilderness Trail is recognized as the 14th largest Bourbon Distillery with award-winning Kentucky Bourbon and Rye Whiskey brands known as Wilderness Trail Small Batch, Bottled in Bond made from a proprietary infusion process and the original genuine, sweet mash process.