🥃 The Bourbon I Didn’t Google—And Can’t Stop Pouring

💥 Opening Pour

‘Twas the weekend before Christmas, and all through the bar,
Not a bourbon was babbling, not even Pinhook in the jar.
The Glencairns were nestled all snug by the flame,
In hopes that a unicorn bottle soon came.

The decanters were polished, the ice spheres were clear,
And whispers of Weller danced close to the ear.
Mama in her robe, and I with a pour,
Had just settled down for a sip—and maybe more…

We all love the bottle that everyone wants.
But this week, I’ve got one that everyone misses.

Quiet. Powerful. Unreasonably good.

Let’s unwrap a real hidden gem.

📖 The Story

I stumbled on this one during a stop in Lexington—wasn’t even looking for whiskey. Just coffee.

Walked into a shop with more wood beams than lighting and found a shelf in the back with a handwritten sign that said: “Try this before you Google it.”

Challenge accepted.

I poured a glass that night and ended up sipping for two hours straight. No distractions. Just me, the pour, and the occasional “Wait… what is that note?”

That’s what this bottle does.

It doesn’t scream.
It sings.

🥇 The Weekly Pour

Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Bourbon

Price: ~$70
Proof: 112
Age: 6 years

Nose: Caramel drizzle, toasted almond, apple skin
Palate: Vanilla custard, cinnamon bark, orange peel
Finish: Bold, warm, buttery spice that lingers

✅ Big proof, but zero harshness
✅ High-rye mash brings baking spice
✅ Hand-selected barrels with wild depth

🛒 Buy it now → Craft Spirit Shop — $64.99

🍹The Art of Mixing

Cocktail: Front Porch Flip

Ingredients

• 2 oz Wilderness Trail Single Barrel

• 0.5 oz maple syrup

• 1 egg yolk

• Dash of nutmeg

• Shake hard, serve neat in a coupe

Tip: This is dessert in a glass. Perfect for fireside sipping after dinner.

🍖 Flavor Pairing Picks

Pair it with:

🍗 Honey-glazed ham — The sweetness and fat make the spices in the bourbon pop.

🍑 Roasted pears with cinnamon butter — A mirror to the whiskey’s soft fruit and vanilla notes.

💨 Padron 1964 Maduro — Full-bodied and sweet, a holiday-perfect cigar pairing.

🧠 Big Lesson of the Week

The best bottles aren’t always hiding behind velvet ropes.
Sometimes, they’re hiding behind a handwritten sign.

🥂 Final Toast

Here’s to the ones that sit in the back,
That taste like truth and don’t need to brag.
May your glass be full and the room be still,
When that quiet bottle gives you a chill.

🥃 Repeatable Proverb

“A bottle doesn’t have to shout to be unforgettable.”

📖 The Whiskey Journal Is Here

For those of us who believe every bottle tells a story worth writing down.

I finally released The Art of the Pour Official Whiskey Tasting Journal—the same one I use to jot down:

🖋️ Tasting notes, barrel picks, and “finally cracked it open” moments
🗓️ First pours with friends
🧠 Thoughts that hit halfway through a good pour

🎁 And because I love a good surprise, I’m throwing in a free printable Whiskey Tasting Wheel—yep, the one folks keep asking about from past newsletters.

Already a subscriber? You’re first in line.
👉 Get the Journal + Free Whiskey Wheel

Now Its Your Turn

Tried Wilderness Trail? Got a favorite underdog pour?

💬 Drop it in the comments
📌 Save this post for next time you’re shopping
📣 Send it to a friend who loves a sleeper bottle

Cheers to quiet nights, full pours, and whiskey with a whisper,

Ethan “Neat” Whitmore

P.S. Next week: The Christmas Nightcap Edition — After the wrapping paper’s torn and the in-laws are snoring, I’ll be sharing the perfect bottle to sip in peace by the tree. One pour. One story. All calm, all bright.