Old Elk Distillery
Old Elk Distillery is a Fort Collins, Colorado-based craft whiskey producer founded in 2013, making premium bourbon, rye, and wheat whiskeys using proprietary mash bills and a registered Slow Cut Proofing Process, distributed across all 50 states via retail, on-premise, DTC e-commerce, and a direct single-barrel program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersFort Collins, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Old Elk Distillery does
Old Elk Distillery is a Colorado-based craft whiskey producer founded in 2013 by Curt Richardson in Fort Collins. The company develops and sells a portfolio of premium bourbon, rye, and wheat whiskeys, with a core lineup that includes the Signature High-Malt Straight Bourbon (using four times more malt than typical bourbon), a Straight Wheat Whiskey built on a 95% wheat mash bill, a Straight Rye, and a Wheated Bourbon. Production is primarily contract-distilled in Indiana using Old Elk's proprietary custom mash bills, which are protected as brand identity and know-how. A proprietary "Slow Cut Proofing Process" — a weeks-long incremental water addition method that preserves volatile flavor compounds — is a registered trademark and a central technical differentiator.
The company operates a multi-channel distribution model combining wholesale (liquor stores, restaurants, and bars across all 50 states), direct-to-consumer e-commerce through shop.oldelk.com (fulfilled by licensed third-party retailers), and a direct single-barrel program that allows retailers, whiskey clubs, and enthusiasts to select custom barrels from five mash bills with personalized labels, engraving, and a barrel tracking system. Specialty and limited editions are released through the Master's Blend Series (e.g., Double Wheat, Four Grain, Infinity Blend) and the Cask Finish Series (Port, Cognac, Sherry, and Barbados Rum finishes), which have earned repeated recognition from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, ASCOT Awards, Ultimate Spirits Challenge, and other industry bodies.
Following the May 2025 acquisition by Middle West Spirits, Old Elk operates as a subsidiary of a strategic acquirer seeking to broaden its craft spirits portfolio and increase distillation capacity. The company is still small — 11-50 employees — with leadership anchored by founder Curt Richardson, and its primary customer mix spans whiskey enthusiasts/collectors, retail and hospitality buyers, and whiskey clubs. No public funding, revenue figures, or AI capabilities are disclosed.
Old Elk Distillery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Old Elk Distillery
- Legal name
- Old Elk Distilleries, LLC
- Website
- https://oldelkdistillery.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Old Elk Distillery is a Fort Collins, Colorado-based craft whiskey producer founded in 2013, making premium bourbon, rye, and wheat whiskeys using proprietary mash bills and a registered Slow Cut Proofing Process, distributed across all 50 states via retail, on-premise, DTC e-commerce, and a direct single-barrel program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Old Elk Distillery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fort Collins
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Old Elk Distillery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Direct Consumer Sales: E-commerce sales through Old Elk's own online bottle shop (shop.oldelk.com) with direct-to-consumer shipping.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Old Elk Distillery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Old Elk Distillery is a Colorado-based whiskey distillery that produces and sells a portfolio of premium bourbon, rye, and wheat whiskeys under proprietary mash bills and a Slow Cut Proofing Process. The company offers a core lineup, specialty Master's Blend and Cask Finish series, and a customizable Single Barrel Program, distributing nationwide through its own online bottle shop, retail stores, restaurants, and bars.
Product overview
Old Elk Distillery is a Colorado-based whiskey distillery founded in 2013 that offers a portfolio of premium bourbon and rye whiskeys distributed nationwide. The company's core products include the Signature High-Malt Straight Bourbon (their flagship with four times more malt than typical bourbon), Straight Wheat Whiskey (95% wheat mash bill), Straight Rye Whiskey, and Wheated Bourbon. Beyond core offerings, Old Elk provides specialty and limited-edition products through the Master's Blend Series (boundary-pushing blends like Double Wheat and Four Grain) and Cask Finish Series (Port, Cognac, and Barbados Rum finishes). The Single Barrel Program allows retailers and enthusiasts to select personalized barrels with custom labeling and tracking. Products are available in all 50 states through direct online sales and retail locations. The company was acquired by Middle West Spirits in May 2025.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Core Lineup Whiskeys Old Elk's primary whiskey collection including the Signature High-Malt Straight Bourbon, Straight Wheat Whiskey, Straight Rye Whiskey, and Wheated Bourbon, available across all 50 states.
- Straight Wheat Whiskey High wheat-content whiskey made with a 95% wheat and 5% malt mash bill, aged at least 6 years, noted for sweet notes of fruit and spice.
- Signature High-Malt Straight Bourbon Whiskey Signature bourbon with a high-malt mash bill featuring four times more malt than typical bourbon, delivering vanilla, caramel, and gentle spice notes.
- Straight Rye Whiskey Straight rye whiskey crafted with fine European rye, delivering a clean, crisp and spicy profile with no bite, aged minimum six years.
- Wheated Bourbon Traditional wheated bourbon expression offering a smoother take on Old Elk's bourbon profile.
- Master's Blend Series Limited edition blended whiskeys highlighting boundary-pushing blending techniques, including Double Wheat and Four Grain expressions bottled at high proof with custom labels.
- Cask Finish Series Limited finished whiskeys using exclusive barrels from Europe and the Caribbean for secondary aging, featuring Port, Cognac, Sherry, and Barbados Rum finishes on bourbon and rye mash bills.
- Barbados Rum Finish Rye Whiskey Rye whiskey finished in 14-year-old Barbados rum barrels for 2-5 months, combining rye spice with tropical and fruity rum notes.
- Port Cask Finish High-malt bourbon finished in Port barrels, with secondary aging adding unique depth and character.
- Cognac Cask Finish High-malt bourbon finished in Cognac barrels, recognized with Platinum at ASCOT Awards 2024 and Gold at Beverage Tasting Institute 2021.
- Sherry Cask Finish High-malt bourbon finished in Sherry barrels, recognized with Gold at Beverage Tasting Institute 2021.
- Cigar Cut Blend Premium contemplative blend from the Cask Finish series featuring flavors of dark fruit, velvet, and leather from older-than-standard Sherry, Armagnac, Port, and Cognac barrels, including standard Cigar Cut and Island Blend variants.
- Single Barrel Program Custom single barrel selection program for retailers, whiskey clubs, and enthusiasts, offering five unique mashbills (High-Malt Bourbon, Wheat Whiskey, Sour Mash Reserve, Rye Whiskey, and Rum Cask Finish Rye) with custom labeling and engraving options.
- 2022 Infinity Blend Limited edition infinity blend whiskey released in 2023, recognized as a Finalist with 93 Points at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2023.
- 2021 Infinity Blend Limited edition infinity blend whiskey released in 2022, recognized with Gold at the 2022 Whiskies of the World Awards.
Quantifiable outcome
- Award-winning quality: Double Gold 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Double Wheat, Cognac Cask Finish Wheat, 8-Year Wheated Bourbon, Wheat Whiskey
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Old Elk Distillery
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Old Elk Distillery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Old Elk Distillery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Middle West SpiritsflagshipMiddle West Spirits acquired Old Elk Distillery in May 2025 as part of its strategic expansion plan. The acquisition allows Middle West to broaden its product portfolio, increase distillation capacity, and enhance its position in the craft spirits industry by leveraging Old Elk's brand momentum and craftsmanship.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Old Elk Distillery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Rabbit Hole Distillery: Louisville-based craft bourbon producer focused on innovative mash bills and modernized whiskey expressions — a direct analog to Old Elk's high-malt and wheat-forward recipe strategy and premium craft positioning.
- Castle & Key Distillery: Kentucky craft distillery offering small-batch bourbon, rye, and wheat whiskeys with a strong experiential/tourism component and DTC focus, closely paralleling Old Elk's Fort Collins tasting experience and craft portfolio.
- New Riff Distilling: Independent Kentucky craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, and malt whiskies with single-barrel and bottled-in-bond offerings, sharing Old Elk's craft-producer DNA, single-barrel program emphasis, and award-driven positioning.
- Penelope Bourbon: American whiskey brand built around curated sourced and contracted bourbon expressions with limited editions and barrel programs, comparable to Old Elk's contract-distilled, mash-bill-led craft portfolio.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company: Kentucky craft distillery combining custom distillation services with its own branded bourbon and rye, a direct peer in both contract-distillation economics and branded craft whiskey competition with Old Elk.
- Blue Run Spirits: Premium sourced-craft bourbon brand built on contracted production, limited releases, and high-touch packaging — analogous to Old Elk's contract-distilled, premium-positioned craft model.
- Wilderness Trail Distillery: Kentucky craft bourbon and rye producer with proprietary yeast strains and innovation focus, sharing Old Elk's craft-distiller emphasis on flavor innovation and award recognition.
Broad incumbents
- Jefferson's Bourbon: Established American whiskey brand owned by Pernod Ricard, producing bourbon and rye with proprietary cask-finish innovations and premium positioning — a broader incumbent in the same premium craft-style whiskey space.
- Lux Row Distillers: Kentucky-based producer behind Rebel, Ezra Brooks, and Blood Oath, combining contract production with owned craft distillation — a broader craft-spirits incumbent overlapping Old Elk's bourbon-and-rye portfolio.
Regional players
- Middle West Spirits: Ohio craft distillery and Old Elk's May 2025 acquirer; produces whiskey, gin, vodka, and specialty spirits with its own distillation footprint, sharing craft distillery economics and product mix with Old Elk.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Old Elk Distillery social profiles
Digital presenceOld Elk Distillery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Old Elk Distillery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Old Elk Distillery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Old Elk Distillery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Old Elk Distillery
What does Old Elk Distillery do?
Old Elk Distillery is a Colorado-based whiskey distillery that produces and sells a portfolio of premium bourbon, rye, and wheat whiskeys under proprietary mash bills and a Slow Cut Proofing Process. The company offers a core lineup, specialty Master's Blend and Cask Finish series, and a customizable Single Barrel Program, distributing nationwide through its own online bottle shop, retail stores, restaurants, and bars.
Is Old Elk Distillery a public or private company?
Old Elk Distillery is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Old Elk Distillery founded?
Old Elk Distillery was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Old Elk Distillery based?
Old Elk Distillery is headquartered in Fort Collins, United States, in the North America region.
How does Old Elk Distillery make money?
One revenue line is on record: direct Consumer Sales.
Who are Old Elk Distillery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Rabbit Hole Distillery, Castle & Key Distillery, New Riff Distilling, Penelope Bourbon, Bardstown Bourbon Company, Blue Run Spirits and Wilderness Trail Distillery. Broad incumbents are Jefferson's Bourbon and Lux Row Distillers. Middle West Spirits is listed as a regional player.
Does Old Elk Distillery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Old Elk Distillery.