Most of you likely know the story of Greg Metze and Old Elk. Greg was the master distiller for MGP Distillery in Indiana for 38 years, dating back to the old Seagrams days, and was the company contemporary of the great Jim Rutledge. Before moving over to Colorado’s Old Elk, he made sure there was enough MGP Bourbon to get them through the early years and that brings us to today’s single barrel.
We picked out this 6 year old wheated Bourbon almost a year ago and it’s finally here! MGP’s wheated Bourbon recipe uses 51% corn and a shockingly high 45% wheat component in its mash bill, so it’s a fun side-by-side taste experience with some of your other favorite wheaters. The nose of this whiskey is charred oak with fruit tea, the vanilla bringing up the rear. At 112.8 proof, you would expect a nice little punch, but the initial experience is sweet and mellow, just like a wheated whiskey should taste. The heat makes itself known on the finish as the richness fades and the grainier components of the Bourbon come to light. All in all, it’s a nice alternative to cask strength Maker’s Mark, especially since Maker’s doesn’t do a straight single barrel release. Having just tasted it again while writing this, I can still taste the baking spices and the fruitiness of the whiskey minutes later. It really does taste like a spiced fruit tea!
-David Driscoll