Age: 7-Years old

Proof: 113.4 Proof

Mash bill: 96/4 Wheat/Malted Barley

Source: MGPi

Tasting Notes: Nose is sweet and subtle. There’s caramel, floral undertones, and some citrus. The citrus pulls into the palate, where cinnamon and baking spices also come out. There's some toasted oak in there, which comes across almost briny. Caramel sweetness returns as the whiskey fades, along with baking spices and cinnamon again. It's a long lasting, memorable ending.

Bottle count: 192 bottles

About the product: Old Elk is a new wave of distillers. They started by sourcing from MGP. They brought on Master Distiller, Greg Metze, as a consultant. Then, Greg moved on from MGP and joined Old Elk full-time as their Master Distiller. They now have a mix of sourced and distilled products. Old Elk produces around 150 barrels a year at their Fort Collins, CO location.

Live Selection:

Story: In January 2022, the Bourbon Community Roundtable (Breaking Bourbon, Bourbon Pursuit and myself) "BCR" made out way out to Colorado to visit Old Elk. This was only the third time we selected barrels as a group. What we found didn't disappoint! The heart of the Old Elk story starts with Master Distiller Greg Metze. Greg is the former Master Distiller of Midwest Grain Products Ingredients (MGPi). Calling him a "master" of the craft is an understatement. After spending a couple of days tasting and chatting with Greg you quickly realize that he's probably forgotten more about whiskey making then I will ever know or understand. All praise aside, Old Elk started at MGPi. They started by recruiting Metze to create a custom mash bill for their bourbon. With instructions to create a flavorful, smooth bourbon without sparing any expense Metze got creative.