Five year old bourbon; 51% corn, 45% wheat, 4% malted barley. This bourbon offers a simple but rather pungent nose, with notes of both menthol and barrel char in evidence. Light aromas of chocolate, malt balls, and some pepper all emerge in time. The palate’s a bit on the thin side, with more bite than I expected. A youthful barrel note is prominent, but there’s lots of caramel and vanilla to brighten things up as it settles into a sweeter groove over time. On the finish, a soft, soothing caramel character endures alongside notes of milk chocolate and a touch of red pepper.
Light tropical fruit (pineapple, mango, etc.) is laced nicely with vanilla cream and roasted pecans. The confectionery notes are balanced by just enough baking spice due to the 100 proof.
Whipped meringue topping, vanilla custard, pineapple, and graham cracker. Pecan Sandies and puff pastry round out the palate.
The vanilla sweetness continues throughout the finish. An interesting char characteristic shines through as a slightly burnt whipped cream.
Sometimes a distillery comes along and makes waves based solely on the reputation of the people behind the brand. That is the case with Old Elk out of Fort Collins, CO which has one of the most experienced Master Distillers in the American Whiskey world, Greg Metze of LDI and MGP fame. This particular bottle is the company’s Straight Wheat Whiskey that is sourced from an undisclosed producer and has a mash bill of 95% Wheat and 5% Malted Barley.
ABV: 50%
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