Old Elk Cognac Finish Wheat Whiskey Review

Old Elk
Cognac Cask Finish Wheat
Straight Wheat Whiskey Finished In Cognac Barrels
95 Proof
MSRP: $89.99 /750ml
Review

Please enjoy our Old Elk Cognac Cask Finish Wheat Review!

The Cask Finish Series

The latest release in the Old Elk Cask Finish Series is a Straight Wheat Whiskey finished in French Limousine Cognac Casks. Prior releases in the Cask Finish Series include: Port Cask Finish Bourbon, Cognac Cask Finish Bourbon and Rum Cask Finish Rye.

The Details

Old Elk Cognac Barrel Finish Wheat Whiskey begins with Old Elk’s Straight Wheat Whiskey, aged at least six years. The mature Wheat Whiskey is then finished for 6-12 months in French Limousine Cognac Casks. It is then bottled at 95 proof.

Mash Bill: 95% wheat, 5% malted barley

Tasting Notes – Old Elk Cognac Barrel Finish Wheat Whiskey Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉🏻Nose: Tangerines, dried apricots, pears & orange peels; light brown sugar sweetness; hint of butterscotch; slight touch of wintergreen and cloves; moderate alcohol vapor
👉🏻Taste: Moderately syrupy sweet up front; tart orange peel; dark cherries; dry oak; increasing dryness
👉🏻Finish: Growing black pepper spice; mild dry oak and char; subtle cloves; fairy long; moderate warmth

The nose of Old Elk Cognac Finish Wheat Whiskey is quite fruit forward, with a nice combination of both sweet and tart. The array of fruits includes pears, tangerines, dried apricots and tart orange peels. In addition, there are sweeter notes, such as light brown sugar and a hint of butterscotch. Lastly, is an ever so subtle touch of wintergreen and cloves. The alcohol vapor is moderate, and appropriate for the proof.

The taste leads off with a moderate syrupy sweetness. Fairly rapidly, tart orange peels develop, as well as dark cherries and mild dry oak with increasing dryness later on. Black pepper spice rises in the long finish, but is never overbearing. The mild dry oak, char and subtle cloves also linger for quite some time. At the end, I am left with a pleasant moderate warmth in my chest.

Summary

I am often surprised by the flavors imparted to a whiskey by wheat, whether it is a wheated bourbon, a wheat whiskey, or some other type of spirit with wheat in its mash bill. In this case, the flavors from the cognac casks are quite complimentary to those of the wheat whiskey, making Old Elk Cognac Cask Finish Wheat Whiskey a very enjoyable pour. If you are a fan of whiskeys with plenty of sweet and tart fruits, various spices, and a bit of oak, char and dryness later on, then you’ll want to give this Old Elk Cognac Finish Wheat Whiskey a try! Cheers!🥃

If you would like to read my reviews of the rest of the whiskeys in Old Elk’s Cask Finish Series, then follow the links in the The Cask Finish Series section above. Or, learn about Old Elk’s cocktail bar in our The Reserve by Old Elk Distillery Review and their flagship bourbon in our Old Elk Wheated Bourbon Review and our Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon Review

Note: This bottle was graciously provided by the company for my review.

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