I found this whiskey last month while in Westport Whiskey and Wine. It was expensive at a little over $150.00, but decided to get it anyway. It is a Bourbon that has been finished in Sherry casks for 1.5 years, Armagnac casks for 1.25 years, Port casks for 3-8 months and Cognac casks for 3-6 months. They have married these whiskeys together to create this flavor profile that pairs well with a cigar. It is a very good whiskey and was a candidate for our whiskey of the month, but we decided that it was too expensive for us to name it April’s whiskey of the month. Here are our tasting notes.
Old Elk Cigar Cut Finished Bourbon
Proof: 110.6
Age: Six Years Old
Nose:
- Mike: Very brandy-like, vanilla, grapes, raisins baking spices and oak wood.
- Matt: Caramel, marshmallows, chocolate syrup, wild berries and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Brandy-like with vanilla, raisins, white pepper and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and apples, and cinnamon come forward. Tasted with a pecan and caramel and chocolate come out in the taste.
- Matt: Marshmallows, chocolate, tobacco, wild berries and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out some molasses notes in the taste. The pecan made the wild berries stronger with some definite blackberry notes.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak and spice. The dried cranberry made the spice cinnamon. The pecan made the finish very long with oak, cinnamon and lingering raisins.
- Matt: Medium long with oak, tobacco and lingering wild berries. The dried cranberry made the finish sweeter with molasses, tobacco and oak. The pecan made the finish longer with oak, tobacco and chocolate.
I would pair this whiskey with a cigar that is rich in vanilla, chocolate and rich tobacco. I would reach for a My Father The Judge cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller