From Sparrow’s bourbon list, Old Elk Sherry Cask Bourbon is a thoughtful, sherry-finished pour from Colorado, $26 by the pour, or $39 for a larger pour. It is one of the more interesting sippers on our list here in Kirkland.
About Old Elk Sherry Cask Bourbon
Old Elk is a craft distillery based in Fort Collins, Colorado, known for an unhurried, small-batch approach to American whiskey. For this release, the distillery takes its blended straight bourbon and gives it an extra rest in Oloroso sherry casks, the kind of cask traditionally used to age sherry in Spain. That finishing step is where the bottle gets its name and its character, layering the dried-fruit and nutty notes of sherry over a familiar bourbon backbone. It is a great example of the way modern American distillers borrow techniques from the wider whiskey world.
Tasting Notes
Sherry-finished bourbons like this one tend to lean warm and dessert-like, with the corn-forward sweetness of bourbon picking up notes of dried fruit, nuttiness, and a soft, dry spice from the sherry cask. Expect a rounded, mellow pour that rewards slow sipping rather than mixing.
What to Pair It With
This is a sipping bourbon, best enjoyed neat or over a single large cube so the sherry notes have room to open up. It is also a natural after-dinner pour in our 21+ lounge at the quartzite bar. If you want food alongside, the American Wagyu steaks and the Sparrow-Smoked Rack from our dine-in menu are made for a glass like this.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Old Elk Sherry Cask Bourbon?
It is a blended straight bourbon from Old Elk Distillery in Fort Collins, Colorado, given an extra finishing period in Oloroso sherry casks for added dried-fruit and nutty character.
How much is a pour of Old Elk Sherry Cask Bourbon at Sparrow?
At Sparrow in Kirkland it is $26 by the pour, or $39 for a larger pour.
Find it on the Sparrow beverages menu alongside other bourbons like the Old Log Cabin Bourbon. We are in Kirkland’s Juanita neighborhood on the Eastside, so reserve a table and come sip a glass.