Old Elk 10 Year Old Straight Wheat Whiskey 750ml from the 10-Year Collection

Wheat whiskey is a genuine specialty at Old Elk — a style Master Distiller Greg Metze has spent years refining, applying the same technical rigor he'd bring to a high-rye whiskey to a mash bill that most distillers treat as an afterthought. This 10-Year-Old Straight Wheat Whiskey is the purest expression of that specialty: built almost entirely from wheat, with just a small proportion of malted barley, and given a full decade of patient maturation to develop genuine depth rather than the thinner, simpler character wheat whiskey sometimes carries at younger ages.

Wheat mash bills present real technical challenges — much like rye, they're never an easy path to take when distilling, demanding a different fermentation and handling approach than the corn-forward recipes most American whiskey relies on. Old Elk's own team has described crafting their wheat whiskey "in the spirit of the acclaimed rye whiskey" tradition, applying that same level of ambition to a genuinely underexplored category. The result, per the distillery's broader wheat whiskey philosophy, is "a vivacious and refreshing spirit that is reinventing what it means to be a sipping whiskey" — a description that speaks directly to how differently wheat behaves from corn or rye when given real time in the barrel.

This bottling launched July 28, 2026, as the third and final release in Old Elk's newly introduced 10-Year Collection, alongside the companion 10-Year-Old Straight Bourbon and 10-Year-Old Wheated Bourbon — the first major new releases for the distillery since Middle West Spirits acquired Old Elk in May 2025. Bottled at 51.5% ABV / 103 proof, this whiskey completes a genuinely comprehensive three-way showcase of Old Elk's grain philosophy: a high-malted-barley bourbon, a boldly wheated bourbon, and now this, a wheat whiskey built almost entirely from the grain itself.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Old Elk Distillery was founded in 2013 in Fort Collins, Colorado, built around Master Distiller Greg Metze's decades of whiskey expertise and the distillery's signature Slow Cut™ Proofing process. In May 2025, Old Elk was acquired by Middle West Spirits, an independently owned distillery based in Columbus, Ohio, recognized nationwide for setting new standards in American craft spirits since its own founding in 2008. Middle West controls its entire production process — from seed selection through on-site grain processing, distilling, aging, blending, and bottling — and has earned more than 200 awards across its broader portfolio, including honors from the ASCOT Awards, PR%F Awards, Beverage Tasting Institute, and Heartland Whiskey Competition.

The 10-Year-Old Straight Wheat Whiskey launched July 28, 2026, as the third release in Old Elk's newly introduced 10-Year Collection, alongside the companion 10-Year-Old Straight Bourbon and 10-Year-Old Wheated Bourbon. Built from a mash bill of 96% wheat and 4% malted barley, this whiskey applies Old Elk's established technical approach to rye whiskey production to the more genuinely uncommon wheat whiskey category, aged a full decade to develop depth beyond what younger wheat whiskeys typically carry. Bottled at 51.5% ABV / 103 proof, available nationwide.

Critics Reviews

No numerical critic score is confirmed for this specific July 2026 release at this time. A prior "Old Elk 10 Year Straight Wheat Whiskey" bottling, predating this new collection, was rated 93 points by Whisky Advocate and named Best Wheat Whiskey by The Whiskey Wash — but as that recognition predates Middle West Spirits' relaunch of the line, it should not be assumed to apply directly to this new release.

Old Elk / house philosophy (on the estate's broader wheat whiskey approach):
"Wheat mash bills have all the same challenges of a rye and are never an easy path to take when distilling, but Metze decided to craft Old Elk's Straight Wheat Whiskey in the spirit of the acclaimed 95 percent rye whiskey... this whiskey is a vivacious and refreshing spirit that is reinventing what it means to be a sipping whiskey."

Luis Gonzalez, CCO, Middle West Spirits:
"We're excited to launch these whiskies with a very strong age statement. Through this 10-year collection, we can offer a line of whiskies with exceptional quality while maintaining accessibility, something truly rare in the industry."

Tasting Profile

Full independent tasting reviews for this brand-new release have not yet been published; the following reflects Old Elk's stated house style for its wheat whiskey program.

Nose
Expect a grain-forward, genuinely distinctive aromatic profile built from the near-pure wheat mash bill — a style Old Elk has approached with the same technical rigor typically reserved for rye whiskey.

Palate
Vivacious and refreshing, reflecting a decade of maturation applied to a grain profile that behaves quite differently from corn or rye — genuinely reinventing expectations for what a sipping whiskey built on wheat can deliver.

Finish
A distinctive, grain-driven close shaped by the whiskey's near-total wheat composition and extended decade-long aging.

Quick Overview

Cocktail Suggestions

Neat or On the Rocks — the recommended serve to fully experience the distinctive wheat-driven character.

Whiskey Sour
2 oz Old Elk 10 Year Straight Wheat Whiskey · fresh lemon juice · simple syrup — the wheat whiskey's refreshing quality lends itself naturally to citrus-forward cocktails.