Old Elk Cigar Cut Island Blend Bourbon Whiskey
Old Elk Cigar Cut Island Blend Bourbon Whiskey is a 111.7-proof (55.85% ABV) limited release in a 750mL bottle — a three-whiskey blend built for cigar pairings: Old Elk high-malt bourbon finished in sherry and port casks, Old Elk straight rye finished in rum casks, and Old Elk straight wheat whiskey finished in Sauternes casks. The base whiskies are a minimum of six years old with 6 months to 2 years of secondary finishing. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 55.85% (111.7 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Blend: high-malt straight bourbon (sherry + port finish), straight rye (rum-cask finish), straight wheat whiskey (Sauternes-cask finish)
- Age: base whiskies minimum 6 years + 6 months to 2 years finishing
- Origin: distilled in Indiana; blended, finished, and bottled by Old Elk Distillery, Fort Collins, Colorado
Tropic-Affiliated Barrels: The Island Blend Story
The Cigar Cut series is Old Elk's extra-aged take on its Cask Finish Series, and the Island Blend iteration leans into what the brand calls "tropic-affiliated barrels" — sherry, port, rum, and Sauternes casks that layer dried fruit, tropical brightness, and wine-cask polish over mature whiskey. Blending three different straight whiskeys (high-malt bourbon, 95/5 rye, and wheated whiskey), each with its own finishing story, makes this less a single barrel's statement and more a composed, cigar-lounge pour at full barrel strength.
Tasting Notes
Caramel candy, honeycomb, and shortbread over vanilla, pear, and tropical fruit. Honey, baking spice, and stone fruit ride the mid-palate, with citrus and tropical brightness on the long, warming finish. Big, layered, and unapologetically rich — a cask-finished whiskey built for slow evenings.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a Glencairn or neat-plus-water to tame the 111.7 proof; it was designed alongside cigars, so pair it with a medium-bodied stick. More from the distillery at the Old Elk vendor page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Old Elk Cigar Cut Island Blend a bourbon?
The bottle is classified as a blend of straight whiskies — it combines bourbon, rye, and wheat whiskey, each with its own wine- or rum-cask finish.
What proof is the Island Blend?
111.7 proof (55.85% ABV).
What does "Island Blend" mean?
Old Elk's term for favoring "tropic-affiliated" finishing barrels — rum, sherry, port, and Sauternes casks.
When only a barrel-proof, multi-cask blend will do, get the Old Elk Cigar Cut Island Blend delivered from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.