Bottle Banter:
Full disclosure:  I’ve been drinking Old Elk expressions for a long time now, and I am a dedicated fan boy. . .so this could be a fairly biased review.  My trusty spirit steward, Anna, at one of my favorite local honey holes, presented me with this rarity, as she claimed that they have only done two barrels of this expression.  Predictably, I did the research to find that most online retailers show the bottle, but one comes up with the “sold out” moniker soon thereafter, perhaps anointing this expression as indeed rare? 

Whiskey Description:
Old Elk Single Barrel Sauternes Cask Finish Wheat
58.25% ABV 116.5 Proof, age statement: 6 years, finished in Sauternes French wine barrels

MSRP:
$75 to $85. Secondary market: N/A

About the Distillery and Mashbill:
95% soft red winter wheat, 5% malted barley; finished in Sauternes barrels for 7 months.

Greg Metze, master distiller at Old Elk, is a wizard in my opinion and for all the MGP haters out there, I say, “If it tastes great, who cares if it’s sourced?!”  Once one learns that Greg was a distiller at MGP for several decades until 2016, forgiveness is mandatory, and though Old Elk is said to use 95% sourced whiskey for their expressions, it’s Greg driving the product development bus, so it’s bound to be good.

Conditions:
Fresh crack, glencairn, neat

Appearance:
Pale, deep amber pronounced legs (sweetness).  Slow, defined legs

Aroma (nose):
Light, stingy on the nose.  Searching for elements, but after a swirl and a minute comes across as minty almost like rye or caraway which is wild, considering what this is.  With time, mild brown sugar and maybe dates hit the senses.

Taste:

• Initial - Initial is a rich and buttery creme brulee sprinkled with oak dust.  Mouthfeel is thicker and pleasing with a lingering oily texture.

• Mid Palate - An array of caramel, honeycomb and light grass.

• Finish - Finish combines these elements with the mint signing off amid the sweetness with mild spiciness that is a welcoming reminder. 

• Ice Melt - holds up well to ice melt, thought I prefer this one neat.

Final Thoughts:
Does not drink to its proof by any means.  Feels more like a 102 proofer. Dr. Steve Levine (brother-in-law, BFF, and spirit enthusiast) says “delicious and dangerous”.