Old Elk Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey 750ml

Old Elk Four Grain Straight Bourbon comes from Old Elk Distillery in Fort Collins, Colorado, founded by Master Distiller Greg Metze after nearly four decades at MGP Ingredients, one of the most decorated careers in American whiskey production. Rather than starting from scratch, Metze built Old Elk around an unconventional approach to blending, one that treats mash bills less as a fixed recipe and more as components to be matured separately and combined at their individual peaks.

Four Grain is part of Old Elk's Master's Blend Series and is made by marrying two whiskeys distilled to Old Elk's own proprietary recipes: a high-malt bourbon made with rye and a wheated bourbon, both featuring an unusually high proportion of malted barley compared to Kentucky convention. Blended in roughly equal parts, the combined mash bill works out to about 51 percent corn, 22.5 percent wheat, 19 percent malted barley, and 7.5 percent rye, matured separately for six to seven years before bottling at a robust 105.9 proof, a strength meant to preserve the complexity of both components.

On the nose, expect caramel apple, toasted baking spice, and a mineral, wet-stone edge. The palate turns soft and sweet, layering brown sugar, sweet corn, and chewy caramel, while the finish shifts into rye spice, cinnamon, and malt, closing dry with a touch of leather.