Old Elk Straight Rye Whiskey Review

 

Greg Metze is no stranger to whiskey. As the former master distiller of MGP, Greg started honing his skills when the now Ross & Squibb (formerly MGP) was still referred to as Joseph E Seagram & Sons Distillery. He graduated with a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 1978 before signing on with Seagram. He was an entry-level manager before apprenticing for nine years under then-Master Distiller Larry Ebersold.

 

In 2016, Greg parted ways with MGP. He had been the creative force behind Old Elk Distillery in Ft. Collins, Colorado, since its inception in 2013 and officially signed on once his relationship with MGP was severed.

 

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.

“Here at Old Elk, though, we’ve always done things differently. Instead of a day, we spend weeks adding small increments of water to keep our liquid cool and save the delicate flavors our team works so hard to produce during mashing, fermentation, distillation, and maturation. It’s why we’ve deemed our whiskey Slow Cut™, and it’s why you can taste the quality in every sip.” – Old Elk Distillery

 

One of the great things MGP was known for, perhaps better than its Bourbon, is the American Rye 95% rye and 5% malted barley mashbill. Greg has those barrels; he’s just included the Slow Cut Proofing Process as part of bottling the Old Elk Straight Rye Whiskey.

 

The Rye carries a 5-year age statement and is packaged at 50% ABV (100°). A 750ml has a suggested retail price of $79.99.

 

I must thank Old Elk Distillery for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and taste how this turned out.

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to sip this Rye neat. The liquid appears as bright and orange. A thin, jagged rim released tightly spaced, quick, and thick tears.

 

Nose: Smells and mint and dill dominated the aroma. I also found cinnamon spice, peaches, and oak. Pulling that air through my lips let me identify vanilla and mint inside my mouth.

 

Palate: Old Elk’s texture was creamy and a bit airy. Rye spice, cinnamon, and leather were apparent on the front. My mid-palate discerned peaches, toasted almonds, and nutmeg. The back tasted of light mint, allspice, and oak.

 

Finish: What remained in my mouth and throat included nutmeg, allspice, oak, rye spice, dill, vanilla, and mint. The duration clocked in at 2:05, bringing it slightly into the long category.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: It was easy to identify the classic MGP components of this American Rye. Some flavors were tamed (particularly the dill and mint), perhaps due to the Slow Cut Proofing Process. It is a tasty whiskey that would attract fans of MGP Ryes. I am concerned with the price, however. Five years and 100° for $80.00 seems a bit steep, and that’s the only reason this takes my Bar rating. 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.