Old Elk Master's Blend Double Wheat Straight Whiskey
Old Elk Master's Blend Double Wheat Straight Whiskey is Master Distiller Greg Metze's rule-breaking blend: a 107.1-proof (53.55% ABV), 750mL straight whiskey marrying two of Old Elk's wheaters — their 95% straight wheat whiskey and their 45% wheated bourbon — into a "mashbill within a mashbill" of 71.5% wheat, 25% corn, and 3.5% malted barley, aged six to eight years. Part of the Master's Blend Series from the Old Elk Distillery in Fort Collins, Colorado. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 53.55% (107.1 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Blend: 95% straight wheat whiskey + 45% wheated bourbon = 71.5% wheat / 25% corn / 3.5% malted barley
- Aging: 6–8 years (retailer-attributed)
- Distillery: Old Elk Distillery, Fort Collins, Colorado (Master Distiller Greg Metze)
- Recognition: Double Gold, 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition; 90 pts, Drinkhacker
A Mashbill Within a Mashbill
Wheated bourbon is already the soft-spoken member of the whiskey family; Old Elk doubled down by blending it with straight wheat whiskey — a combination the distillery pitches as a whole new category. The wheat dominance shows immediately: baking spice and vanilla cream rather than rye's pepper, a bright, crisp frame around a genuinely sweet core. For American whiskey drinkers who find high-rye bourbons too aggressive, this is the gentler high-proof pour.
Tasting Notes
Shimmering copper. The nose shows vanilla cream, caramel, toasted cereal, raspberry jam and orange blossom over delicate cinnamon, vanilla and almond. The palate brings buttered brown sugar, cinnamon toast and honeyed pecans; the finish is bright and lingering, with white pepper, maple syrup and fruit.
How to Enjoy
Neat first — at 107 proof it has the structure for it — then a few drops of water to open the honeyed pecan and fruit. It makes a superb high-proof Old Fashioned. Pair with pecan pie, bread pudding, or sharp cheddar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Double Wheat" mean?
A marriage of Old Elk's 95% straight wheat whiskey and 45% wheated bourbon, yielding a 71.5% wheat mashbill.
How strong is it?
107.1 proof (53.55% ABV).
How old is it?
Aged six to eight years, per retail listings.
Has it won awards?
Yes — Double Gold at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and 90 points from Drinkhacker.
See more Old Elk and our American whiskey shelves. Award-winning high-wheat whiskey at cask-adjacent proof — order Old Elk Double Wheat online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.