Old Elk Cigar Cut

Good, complex bourbon. After opening, the smell from the bottle was pure maple syrup. The proof was more evident on the nose in the glass, along with the wine finish. Neat, the flavor was somewhat dry, and I could detect the wine coming through with some fruit and a bit of heat. With an ice cube, the port and fruit come through more. Revisiting a few days later, I'm changing my rating from 3.75 to 3.5. The wine seems to have a more drying and overpowering presence for my liking.

110.6 proof. Matured in port, armagnac, sherry, and cognac casks. Also aged in charred new white oak and amburana barrels. Composed of 51% Corn, 34% Barley, and 15% Rye. Notes of grapes, oak, corn, butter, whipped cream, graham cracker, cinnamon, toasted coconut, banana, apple, brown sugar, salted almonds, walnuts, mash, peanut m&m’s, honey, charred lemon, and cigar dipped in syrupy cognac are present.

The bottle sounded promising and I was eager to try it, but regrettably, it's quite unappealing. I've sampled it multiple times hoping it would develop or change its profile, but there's a distinctly unpleasant quality to it. The closest description is a taste like rotten plum. Perhaps it was a bad batch, but considering the cost and my reluctance to drink more, I wanted to give others a heads-up to be cautious.

Unlike any cigar blend I've had – but in a good way. Nutty and grape flavors dominate the first few sips.

This spirit is intricate yet well-proportioned, especially considering its finishing in four distinct barrels. It has a delayed warmth on the finish.

The armagnac influence is quite noticeable. It is exceptionally well-balanced and enjoyable. 4.45