Old Elk Wheated Bourbon Review

Old Elk Wheated Bourbon
Straight Bourbon Whiskey
92 Proof
MSRP: $69.99
Review

Please enjoy our updated Old Elk Wheated Bourbon Review! I had first reviewed this bourbon back in 2022, but it is time that I revisit it again in September 2024.

A Little Old Elk Distillery History

What happens when you put together the Founder and Developer of OtterBox and the long time master distiller at MGP (now Ross & Squibb)? Well, you get Old Elk Distillery, of course!

Old Elk is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. But don’t go trying to find the distillery – you can’t – it’s not on the map! However, you can find The Reserve By Old Elk, their boutique cocktail bar, located right in downtown Fort Collins! In fact, we visited The Reserve a couple of years ago, and you can read all about our experience in our The Reserve by Old Elk Distillery Review!

Mash Bill

Old Elk Wheated Bourbon is distilled in Indiana and made with a mash bill of 51% corn, 45% soft red winter wheat & 4% malted barley. 45% wheat is a LOT of wheat!! In addition, the bourbon is aged a minimum of 5 years.

Slow Cut Proofing

Old Elk Distillery uses a unique “Slow Cut Proofing” process in making their bourbons. After aging at least 5 years, the bourbon comes out of the barrel at, well, barrel proof. That is pure undiluted bourbon. However, Old Elk Wheated Bourbon is bottled at 92 proof. To get to that proof, fresh Colorado mountain water is added. However, instead of adding the water over a short period of time, the folks at Old Elk Distillery take their time. Lots of time. Weeks, in fact. The idea is that the slow proofing process will preserve more of the bourbon’s flavor.

Tasting Notes – Old Elk Wheated Bourbon Review

Let’s taste it:

🛌 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉🏻Nose: Soft caramel, hint of wintergreen, subtle dark cherries, tart orange peel & mild simple syrup sweetness; alcohol vapor is relatively mild
👉🏻Taste: Simple syrup sweetness; light caramel, tart orange peel & hints of dry wood; black pepper spice later on
👉🏻Finish: Rapidly growing and lasting black pepper spice; sugar sweetness and citrus gradually fade; drier later on with subtle barrel char; fairly long; mild warmth

The nose of Old Elk Wheated Bourbon is fairly soft, with pleasant flavors of caramel, hints of wintergreen and subtle dark cherries, as well as tart orange peels and mild simple syrup sweetness. The alcohol vapor is fairly mild, and less than expected for the proof.

The taste starts off with quite a bit of simple syrup and sweet light caramel. Tart orange peel appears a bit later on, with mild black pepper spice and hints of dry wood. The flavors continue into the finish with lingering simple syrup sweetness and citrus, which gradually diminish. However, black pepper spice increases, and lasts well into the long finish. There is developing dryness with subtle barrel char, later on. I am left with a pleasant warmth.

Conclusion

The large percentage of wheat is presumably contributing to the interesting progression of flavors. The nose is relatively soft, and does not foretell the fairly high degree of sweetness in the taste, nor the degree of spice in the finish. It all adds up to a bit of a roller coaster ride, but in the end Old Elk Wheated Bourbon is quite an enjoyable pour.🥃

I hope you have enjoyed our Old Elk Wheated Bourbon Review! If you would like to learn about other Old Elk whiskeys, then check out our Old Elk Cognac Finish Wheat Whiskey, Old Elk Port Cask Finish Bourbon and Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon reviews!

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

Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!