Caramel apple | Potato chips | Pine | Wet stone | Baking spice | Potent & layered

Apple | Sweet corn | Brown sugar | Caramel Chew candy | Smooth

Rye spice | Cinnamon | Malt | Caramel | Light leather | Slightly dry | Medium length

Part of Old Elk’s ever-growing Master’s Blend Series, Old Elk Four Grain combines the brand’s High-Malt Bourbon and Wheated Bourbon to expected and even some unexpected results too. The nose, while on the softer side, starts the whiskey off on an interesting foot and is the highlight of the bourbon. The combination of caramel apple, potato chips, pine, wet stone, and baking spice is as fascinating as it is compelling. It works exceedingly well. The palate is all around soft and approachable thanks to its overall sweetness. The finish in turn contrasts the whole affair with a sudden ramp up of heat and spice.  

It’s worth remembering with Old Elk that while this is distilled at MGP, their former master distiller Greg Metze spearheads Old Elk and the whiskey used in this blend is a proprietary distillate. Metze is a champion of smooth whiskey and Four Grain is certainly that, but with an unexpected spicy finish. Old Elk’s whiskey is definitely coming of age and you can certainly taste it in this 6-7 year form. Its flavors and the journey it takes the drinker on is there, except its only fault is its lack of additional complexity and depth. The resulting whiskey is an expectedly smooth and sweet bourbon that surprises you with its spicy finish, but I just wanted more, especially compared to its great Double Wheat counterpart release.