Old Elk

Based in Fort Collins, Denver, Old Elk was founded in 2013 by Curt Richardson, who also created Otterbox, a well known brand of phone cases.

The Master Distiller is Greg Metze, who had spent nearly 40 years working at the MGP distillery in Indiana before leaving in 2016. The vast majority of Old Elk whiskey is sourced from MGP - and while for many American whiskey drinkers this is seen as a 'cop-out' and a slight against the quality, Old Elk worked out an agreement with Greg initially to produce their own specific mashbill and distillate as opposed to purchasing 'standard' stocks. Greg's relationship grew strong with Old Elk and he now runs the new distillery, with around 90% of the whiskey stock still coming from MGP.

'Cigar Cut' is one of the latest releases from Old Elk and is inspired by - as the name suggests - the warm smoky tones of a high-quality cigar, while using some of the brands best stock. A mashbill of 51% corn, 34% malted barley and 15% rye is aged in virgin oak casks for a minimum of 6 years before parts are finished in a variety of barrel types:

• 1.5 Years in Sherry Casks,
• 1.25 Years in Armagnac Casks
• 3-8 Months in Port Casks
• 3-6 Months in Cognac Casks

The end result is something quite extraordinary - a rich mouthfeel with an almost oily texture full of red fruits, apricot, plum with vanilla cream, toasted brioche studded with raisins and custard danish pastries. But it's not overly sweet, with warm oak and soft dark spices weaving through, enabling the finish to be long and complex with ever evolving notes.

This is, to be frank, a whiskey that demands your utmost attention, as it is a joy deciphering the sheer breadth of flavours going on throughout. What a whiskey. WHAT. A. WHISKEY.