Bluegrass Distillers Elkwood Reserve Aged 11 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Toasted Oak Barrels The Prime Barrel Pick #167

A recent visit to Bluegrass Distillers in Midway, Kentucky, gave us the chance to sample four mystery barrels—each with a distinctly different flavor profile. Narrowing the field to one proved impossible, so we walked out with two. While both barrels began with the same bourbon distilled two weeks apart, their finishing casks transformed them into remarkably different experiences.

This Elkwood Reserve 11 1/2 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon is finished in a Medium Toast American Oak barrel.  It’s cask strength at 120 proof, delivering a distinctive expression of mature Kentucky bourbon enhanced by a carefully selected toasted oak finish.  

Distilled in September 2014 from a 78/13/9 mashbill by an undisclosed legacy Kentucky distillery, this bourbon spent 10 years and 10 months aging in its original Char 4 cask before being transferred to a Medium Toast American Oak barrel for an additional 8 months of maturation. 

The extended primary aging laid the foundation of mature Kentucky bourbon, while the additional 8 months in Medium Toast American Oak added another layer of barrel influence.  The result is a rich, mature, layered cask-strength bourbon that combines the depth of more than 11 years of aging with the distinctive character imparted by the secondary toasted oak finish.  

With its combination of mature Kentucky bourbon, 120 proof cask strength, and Medium Toast American Oak finishing, this Elkwood Reserve single barrel offers a distinctive take on well-aged whiskey.  It’s an expression built for enthusiasts who appreciate mature bourbon, full-proof flavor, and thoughtful barrel finishing.  Get yours today and experience what toasted oak can bring to an 11 1/2 year-old Kentucky bourbon.

Barrel Details:

• Barrel: #22
• Distilled:  9/24/2014 by an undisclosed legacy Kentucky distillery
• Age:  11 1/2 years - 10 years and 10 months in original Char 4 cask, then finished for 8 months in a Medium Toast barrel  
• Mashbill:  78% corn, 13% rye, 9% malted barley
• Proof: 120 proof

Tasting Notes:

• Nose:  Mature rickhouse aromas, vanilla buttercream, toasted marshmallow, orchard fruit
• Palate:  Toasted vanilla, caramelized sugar, roasted peanuts, baking spice
• Finish:  Cinnamon-baked apple, toasted oak, black pepper

Nose: Dense waves of dark cherry and melted white chocolate rise immediately. Antique oak and heavy brown sugar syrup anchor the entire aroma.

Palate: A colossal rush of clove and crushed allspice strikes the tip of the tongue. The texture quickly shifts into rich, buttery custard and heavy chocolate cake, driven by the toasted barrel sugars.

Finish: Deeply oak-driven and remarkably tenacious. Bitter baker's chocolate fades out alongside lingering ginger snaps and heavily scorched caramel.

Match this heavy proof point with something equally robust. A dry-aged ribeye with a heavy char cuts right through the intense barrel tannins. For dessert, dark chocolate lava cake perfectly amplifies the toasted vanilla and dark cherry notes.