Old Elk Distillery has released its 10-Year-Old Collection, a three-expression lineup of age-stated American whiskey priced at $69.99 SRP each — its first significant portfolio move since Middle West Spirits completed its acquisition of the Colorado brand in May 2025. For on-premise buyers and retail spirits managers, the launch signals that the combined entity is now ready to compete aggressively in the premium American whiskey segment with inventory that backs up the age claim.
What's in the Collection
The three expressions cover distinct grain-forward profiles. The 10-Year-Old Straight Bourbon leads with an unusually high 34% malted barley content in its mash bill (51% corn, 15% rye), bottled at 52.5% ABV — a formulation designed to deliver smoothness that high-rye bourbons typically sacrifice. The 10-Year-Old Straight Wheat Whiskey runs a 96% soft red winter wheat mash bill with 4% malted barley, bottled at 51.5% ABV, positioning it as a benchmark expression in a sub-category that still has relatively few serious age-stated entrants at this price point. The 10-Year-Old Wheated Bourbon rounds out the set with 46% wheat content (51% corn, 3% malted barley) at 52.5% ABV, leaning into soft vanilla and natural corn sweetness from a decade in barrel.
All three are available nationwide now, sold through conventional retail, the Middle West Spirits distillery bottle shop in Columbus, Ohio, and the Old Elk online bottle shop.
Pricing Intelligence
The $69.99 price point deserves attention from beverage directors and spirits buyers. Ten-year age statements in American whiskey have historically commanded $80 to well over $100 at retail — a ceiling reinforced by allocated releases from larger producers. Positioning three distinct expressions under $70 is a deliberate accessibility play, and one that puts Old Elk squarely against mid-premium shelf competitors without requiring lottery-style allocations or waitlists. Luis Gonzalez, Chief Commercial Officer of Middle West Spirits, described the combination of age statement and accessibility as "truly rare in the industry."
For operators building whiskey programs, that pricing creates workable cocktail and by-the-glass margins while still carrying an age-statement story that sells itself tableside. Bars running premium spirits programs should treat these expressions as viable house pours in the $14–$18 glass tier rather than trophy-shelf placements.
Post-Acquisition Portfolio Strategy
The launch is the clearest indicator yet of what Middle West Spirits intends to do with Old Elk since closing the acquisition 14 months ago. Middle West has operated grain-to-glass out of Columbus since 2008, controlling seed selection, milling, distilling, aging, blending, and bottling in-house — a vertical integration model that gives the combined company unusual flexibility over production timing and mashbill experimentation. Old Elk, founded in Fort Collins, Colorado, brought a separate aging inventory and an established national distribution footprint.
Releasing three 10-year expressions simultaneously — rather than staging single annual limited drops — suggests the company built adequate barrel inventory before announcing the collection, a supply-chain discipline that buyers should note when planning allocations. Operators interested in brand launch strategy and portfolio planning will find the Middle West model instructive: acquire a brand with aged stock, integrate production systems, then release at scale rather than drip-feeding limited editions.
With more than 200 awards across its portfolio and a hospitality footprint anchored by its Columbus distillery, bar, and restaurant, Middle West is also positioned to use experiential retail as a proof-of-concept engine for on-premise placement nationally.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
