Find your wild: Wilder Heart Debuts with Two American Whiskey Expressions

Crafted from three mash bills with nothing added, Wilder Heart's core and Cask Strength whiskeys are made to be opened and shared

New York, NY, October 27, 2026 - Wilder Heart, a new American whiskey with the outdoors and an untamed spirit at its heart, announces the launch of its first two expressions: Wilder Heart Whiskey and Wilder Heart Cask Strength. Made from three distinct mash bills, aged a minimum of four years, and with nothing added. Both whiskeys reflect a simple belief: the best whiskey is made to be opened and shared, whether outside by a fire or on a city rooftop. The brand is co-founded by whiskey enthusiast and storyteller Nate Woodruff of Whisky with a View and VCL North America.

Born from a love of great whiskey, the outdoors, and moments worth sharing, Wilder Heart builds on the community the Wilder Heart podcast has already developed over the past few years. Charting tales of wild adventures, great friends, and new discoveries all shared over a whiskey. The brand's philosophy is that the wild isn't a place; it's a mindset. Knowing not all adventures can be measured in miles, and won’t always end up where you expect. 

Wilder Heart Whiskey (SRP $44.99) is a blend of three mash bills aged for a minimum of four years. Bottled at 47% ABV / 94 proof, it opens with aromas of fresh peach and apricot on the nose, alongside brown sugar, cinnamon and zesty orange peel. Red apple, citrus and soft vanilla follow on the palate, with a hint of roasted marshmallow. The finish is bright and gentle, with crisp apple, lemon peel and a lingering warmth.

Wilder Heart Cask Strength (SRP: $69.99) is bottled at 58.75% ABV / 117.5 proof (batch 1). Rich and velvety, it opens with honey, cherry, and blackberry, followed by tart cherry, baked apple, brown sugar, and butterscotch on the palate. The finish is long and evolving, with dark fruit, clove, sweet oak, and lingering vanilla. Softer on the palate than its proof might suggest, it reveals more spice and toasted oak as it rests in the glass.

Whiskey industry veteran Doug Ward, VP of Sales and Strategy, who leads the brand's commercial strategy and day-to-day operations, says, “Whiskey drinkers now have more choice than ever, are more knowledgeable and ready to try something new, so a new brand needs to give them a genuine reason to pick up a bottle and open it. For us, that starts with the quality of the whiskey, and the experience and story behind it. Wilder Heart is strong on both fronts; there’s a lot to discover about the brand and the whiskey. We set out to create something with real character that brings fresh energy to American whiskey.”

Wilder Heart was co-founded by Woodruff and VCL North America, part of UK-based spirits business VCL Vintners, which brings expertise in cask management, maturation and independent bottling. 

Nate Woodruff, Co-Founder of Wilder Heart, says, “Some of the best whiskey moments don’t happen around a table. They happen at the end of a long day outside, around a fire, with people you’ve just met. It’s moments like this which inspired us to launch Wilder Heart, and root everything we do as a brand in the wild: celebrating it, protecting it, enjoying it and living it. For some it’s a place, but mostly it’s a way of thinking and living.” 

Beyond the whiskey, Wilder Heart brings people together through Basecamp, its free-to-join community. Members earn Trail Points through participation, including the brand's signature Sunset Pour ritual, and redeem them for gear, experiences, and rewards. 

Looking after the wild places that inspire Wilder Heart is part of the brand from day one. From launch, that means practical help for people heading outdoors, from fire safety know-how to conservation education and working alongside local groups who look after the trails, rivers and forests its community loves. Wilder Heart has a long-term commitment to protecting wild places, and that’s tightly woven into the brand’s DNA and everything it does. The bottle design also reflects that connection to the outdoors, with mountain, river, and tree detailing inspired by the landscapes at the heart of the brand.

Wilder Heart launches direct to consumers in the United States, with pre-orders now available online and shipping offered to more than 40 states. Wilder Heart will also be available at retail outlets in Colorado, Missouri and Wyoming. For more information, please visit the Wilder Heart website.

About Wilder Heart

Wilder Heart is an American whiskey made to be opened, poured and shared. Built from three mash bills and aged a minimum of four years, Wilder Heart has nothing added—just corn, rye, wheat and malted barley, limestone-filtered water and yeast. Wilder Heart Whiskey is bottled at 94 proof, with Wilder Heart Cask Strength at 117.5 proof. Co-founded by Nate Woodruff of Whisky with a View and VCL North America, part of UK-based spirits business VCL Vintners, which brings expertise in cask management, maturation and independent bottling, the brand is built around a simple belief: the wild isn’t a place, it’s a mindset. Wilder Heart is available direct to consumers in 40+ states and at retail in Colorado, Missouri and Wyoming.

Media Contact:

Sam O'Brien | sobrien(at)colangelopr.com