Old Elk Wheated Bourbon Review & Tasting Notes

 

In 2016, Greg Metzke parted ways with MGP. He had been its master distiller since 2000, having worked his way up through the ranks since 1978 when it was still called the Joseph E. Seagram & Sons Distillery. Before that, Greg apprenticed under then-Master Distiller Larry Ebersold.  

 

As Greg was winding down his career with MGP, he had been working with a startup called Old Elk Distillery, located in Ft. Collins. Three years later, he was no longer a part of MGP and could officially be a part of Old Elk as its Master Distiller.

 

Old Elk has what it calls a Slow Cut Proofing Process. It isn’t a unique process; other distilleries do something similar. Instead of proofing down its whiskey in one fell swoop, the process involves adding water a little bit at a time over several weeks. Old Elk indicates this keeps the whiskey from overheating during the proofing cycle, which helps preserve some of its more nuanced flavors.

 

Because of his connections with MGP, much of Olk Elk's whiskey is MGP distillate. Such is the case with the whiskey we’re exploring today: Old Elk Wheated Bourbon.

 

If you’re new to Bourbon, you may be unfamiliar with what wheated Bourbon (or wheater) is. In a traditional Bourbon recipe, you have at least 51% corn, the second-largest ingredient is rye, and there is usually a malted barley component. A wheater means wheat is the second most prominent ingredient in the mashbill.

 

The fascinating thing about using wheat is that, once distilled, wheat has no flavor. Instead, it typically softens the mouthfeel and enhances other flavor components from the distillate and wood.

 

Old Elk Wheated Bourbon is distilled from 51% corn, 45% wheat, and 4% malt. It slept for at least five years in 53-gallon, new, charred oak barrels and is packaged at 46% ABV (92°). A 750ml has a suggested price of $69.99.

 

Before I embark on this #DrinkCurious journey, I must thank Old Elk for providing me with a sample of this wheater in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Appearance: I poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass, intending to sip it neat. It possessed a golden amber color. A delicate rim released slower, thin tears.

 

Nose: As I brought the glass under my nostrils, I quickly identified corn, toffee, vanilla, apples, and golden raisins. I inhaled the vapor into my mouth and found French vanilla.

 

Palate: Old Elk had a thick, creamy texture. The front of my palate encountered caramel and almonds. As it moved to my mid-palate, I tasted toffee and mild cinnamon. The back included wood spices and clove.

 

Finish: The finish is where things become more developed. The wood spice, clove, and caramel were present. Those flavors were joined by cherry, leather, and lemon peel. Initially slow, these additional notes became more apparent as it climbed. It started spicy, then became sweet, followed by the citrus, which was brief. It then reversed direction, returning to sweet and ending with spice. Its duration was very long, at 2:51.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Old Elk Wheated Bourbon had what you would expect from a wheater – a soft mouthfeel and wood spice notes. There was a lack of depth on the palate, but the finish made up for what the palate lacked. I found it pleasantly confusing. Thankfully, the finish allowed me to experience all this Bourbon offered. That mystifying aspect pulled up my rating from a Bar to a Bottle. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.