Old Elk Sour Mash Reserve Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
Old Elk Sour Mash Reserve Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is a 105 proof (52.5% ABV) straight bourbon in a 750mL bottle — a thirty-barrel small-batch blend built on Old Elk's award-winning high-malt mash bill (51% corn, 34% malted barley, 15% rye), finished with the brand's Slow Cut proofing process in Fort Collins, Colorado, available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 105 proof (52.5% ABV) — varies by batch (Batch 2: 104.4 proof); confirm from bottle
- Size: 750mL
- Age: early batches at least 6 years old; no age statement on Del Mesa's listing — confirm from bottle
- Origin: Fort Collins, Colorado — Old Elk Distillery (founded 2013; Master Distiller Greg Metze, formerly of MGP)
- Production: sour-mash process; unique experimental yeast strain on the flagship high-malt mash bill; Slow Cut proofing — cut to proof slowly over weeks rather than in hours, for a smoother spirit
- Release: a 12-batch limited series, each batch a thirty-barrel small-batch blend
What Changes With a Different Yeast
Sour Mash Reserve is Old Elk's origin story in a bottle. The distillery took its award-winning flagship high-malt mash bill — 51% corn, 34% malted barley, 15% rye, far more malt than a typical bourbon — and ran it with an experimental yeast strain to see what the fermentation magic would do. Head Distiller Kate Douglas put it plainly: "the magic is in the fermentation." Each of the 12 batches is a thirty-barrel blend, Slow Cut down to proof over weeks of rest so the flavors knit before bottling. Shop more bourbon, explore the Old Elk range, or line it up against other high-rye American whiskies.
Tasting Notes
Retailer and press notes on the early 6-year batches describe a floral, bright entry that develops darker with air — charred oak, maple, coconut, and clove spice — with caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak over gentle spice on the nose, a smooth full-bodied palate of delicate sweetness balanced by rye spice and a hint of smoke, and a long, warm finish.
How to Enjoy
Neat first — at 105 proof this is a sipping bourbon built for slow evenings. A drop of water opens the floral notes; a single large cube makes it an evening-long pour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Old Elk Sour Mash Reserve really 105 proof?
Yes for the early batches — 105 proof (52.5% ABV), with Batch 2 at 104.4 proof. Proof varies by batch across the 12-batch series, so confirm your bottle's label.
What makes the mash bill special?
Old Elk's flagship high-malt recipe: 51% corn, 34% malted barley, 15% rye — roughly four times the malt of a typical bourbon — run here with an experimental yeast strain.
What is Slow Cut proofing?
Old Elk's signature method: the spirit is cut to proof slowly over weeks of rest instead of in hours, so the flavors knit together for a smoother bourbon.
A high-malt Colorado experiment in small-batch form — add Old Elk Sour Mash Reserve to your cart at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.