Some bourbons announce themselves with age, proof, and pedigree.
This Old Elk Wheated Bourbon walks in with all three: 7 years old, 118.1 proof, and part of the 2022 series from barrel #8287. On paper, that sounds like a bottle with plenty of depth, power, and soft wheated sweetness. In the glass, though, this one was more complicated.
Old Elk Distillery is based in Fort Collins, Colorado, but its whiskey story has strong Indiana roots. The brand became closely tied to Greg Metze, the longtime MGP master distiller whose fingerprints are all over modern American whiskey. Old Elk has built much of its identity around distinctive mash bills, blending, and single barrel selections rather than simply following the standard Kentucky bourbon playbook.
This wheated bourbon uses a mash bill of 51% corn, 45% wheat, and 4% malted barley. That 45% wheat content is the key detail. This is not a bourbon where wheat is just a softening accent. Wheat is a major part of the structure, which should bring sweetness, breadiness, fruit, and a rounder mouthfeel.
At 118.1 proof, this single barrel has enough horsepower to make that mash bill speak clearly. The question is whether the barrel sings or just talks.
Appearance — 2.75 / 5
Copper.
In the glass, this Old Elk shows a straightforward copper color. It looks proper for a 7-year bourbon, but it does not bring the deep amber, mahogany, or oily visual richness that sometimes hints at a more layered barrel-strength pour.
It looks solid. It does not look especially memorable.
Aroma — 3.00 / 5
The nose is the best part of this pour.
There is cherry, a light floral note, and a soft sweetness that leans into honey. The grain is present too, and that makes sense with a high-wheat mash bill. It gives the aroma a cereal-like backbone rather than a heavy caramel-and-oak profile.
The nose is pleasant and approachable for the proof. It does not come across as hot or aggressive. The cherry and honey notes help, and the floral edge adds a little lift.
That said, it never fully opens into something richer. I kept waiting for more vanilla, oak, baking spice, or dark fruit to fill in the gaps. Instead, the aroma stays fairly light and grain-forward.
Good nose. Not a great one.
Flavor — 2.75 / 5
The palate starts with a promising sweet front end. That first impression is soft, honeyed, and very much in line with what you hope to find in a wheated bourbon.
Then the middle shifts.
The grain note moves forward and becomes more noticeable. It is not unpleasant, but it does interrupt the early sweetness. From there, I get cinnamon, a slightly dusty character, dried fruit, and more honey.
The problem is balance. The individual notes are interesting, but they do not fully come together. The sweetness arrives first, the grain steps in second, and the spice and dusty fruit notes trail behind. It feels more segmented than integrated.
For a 7-year, 118.1 proof single barrel, I wanted more weight and better development across the palate. The proof is managed well enough, but the flavor profile does not carry the intensity I expected from the label.
Finish — 2.75 / 5
The finish is smooth, but it is also short.
There is a tobacco note on the back end, which is a nice touch and gives the finish a little maturity. But it fades quickly. The cinnamon and grain do not linger with much depth, and the tobacco note does not have enough length to save the finish.
At this proof, I expected more staying power. Instead, it exits politely.
Too politely.
Barrel Proof Score — 2.75 / 5
Final Call
This Old Elk Wheated Bourbon has the bones of something I should like: a high-wheat mash bill, 7 years of age, a single barrel format, and a strong 118.1 proof.
But the pour did not fully deliver.
The aroma is enjoyable, especially the cherry, honey, floral sweetness, and grain. The palate starts well, but the mid-palate turns grainy and dusty, and the finish is shorter than expected. It is smooth, but smooth alone is not enough at this proof and age.
This is not a bad bourbon. It is more of a missed opportunity.
For drinkers who enjoy grain-forward wheated bourbons with honey, dried fruit, cinnamon, and a light tobacco finish, this barrel may still have appeal. For me, it did not show enough depth, richness, or finish to rise above average.
Final Call: Interesting bottle, but one bottle is enough. I would try another Old Elk wheated single barrel, because the mash bill still intrigues me, but barrel #8287 would not be one I return to often.
Pairs Well With
This pour has a dusty, grain-forward profile with honey, cinnamon, and tobacco on the edges — pair it with something understated rather than loud.
A classic Barrel Proof Notes tee fits the mood: simple, honest, and built for people who like talking through the details of a pour, even when the bottle does not quite hit the mark.
Mood: Honest review night, notebook open, no sugarcoating.
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