Background and a Word About the Name
Before we get to the glass, it’s worth explaining why “Cigar Cut” appears on this — and other — Old Elk bottles. The name is a nod to the cigar world, where a cigar cut is the deliberate, precise slice that opens up a premium cigar for an optimal draw. Old Elk uses it as a metaphor: each Cigar Cut release is, in their words, “the best of the best” from their cask finish project — a deliberate, curated cut of their finest finished whiskeys, selected specifically because the flavor profile is robust enough to stand up to, and complement, a good smoke. It’s not just branding; it’s a statement of intent about the style and purpose of the whiskey in the bottle.
This is Edition 2 — the Island Blend — released in 2023. Edition 1 was the original Cigar Cut release. The Island Blend takes the Cigar Cut concept further by blending Old Elk’s three base straight whiskeys — high-malt bourbon, straight rye, and straight wheat — and finishing each component separately in Port, Sauternes, Sherry, and Rum casks before blending. The result is as layered and complex a domestic blended whiskey as you are likely to find.
One more thing worth noting: this bottle has been sitting behind the glass case at Hokus Pokus for a few years, and it shows in the label. The bottle bears Old Elk’s older square label design, not the newer round label the distillery has since migrated to. It’s a small detail, but for collectors and longtime Old Elk fans, it marks this as an earlier bottling from the 2023 release.
My law partner gave me this bottle as a gift to mark the resolution of a long-standing case that had found its way into bankruptcy court, where — after considerable effort — I was able to bring matters to a head and secure a settlement. A fine way to put an exclamation point on that chapter.
Color
A deep, rich amber — darker than you might expect from base whiskeys that are only six years old. The multiple cask finishes, particularly the two years in Sherry, are clearly doing some work here.
The Swirl
On the swirl, there is a very thick film with gravity-defying legs. This one is oily and substantial in the glass before you even take a sip.
Nose
On the nose, you get tropical and dark fruits upfront, a fair amount of vanilla, and some nice oak in the background. It’s inviting without being aggressive — the kind of nose that makes you want to slow down and sit with it.
Palate
The flavors on the palate are where this bottle really opens up, and the complexity is remarkable for a six-year-old base whiskies. You get vanilla, candied fruits — both berries and tropical fruits — and green cardamom. Then there are some medicinal notes from the fusel oils extracted from the rum casks; that unmistakable rum influence that, to my palate, clearly signals that the rum finishing barrels came from long-aged Añejo rather than shorter-aged Reposado casks. The result is richer and more complex than a lighter rum finish would produce.
Given the variety of base whiskeys and finishing casks all working together, the flavor profile is somewhat reminiscent of Found North — that same sense that multiple well-aged and finished components are speaking at once, each distinct but ultimately harmonious.
Finish
On the finish, the finishing barrel influence begins to pull back in favor of clove and oak tannin. The finish is clean — notably not drying — which, as I’ll explain below, matters quite a bit for how this whiskey is best enjoyed.
Overall
If finished whiskeys are your thing, this bottle is excellent. The Cigar Cut name earns its keep here. The flavor profile is bold and complex enough to stand up to not just a blonde-wrapped cigar, but a maduro. The dark fruit, rum character, and candied richness can hold their own against a fuller, earthier smoke without getting lost. Just as importantly, the absence of a drying, tannic finish is a real asset when you are sipping between puffs — you want a whiskey that refreshes the palate rather than compounds the dryness of the tobacco.
Highly Recommended — particularly if you enjoy multi-cask finished whiskies or are looking for a serious cigar companion that can handle a bolder stick.