The Launch
Middle West Spirits, the Columbus, Ohio-based independent distillery that owns the Old Elk Distillery brand, is rolling out a nationwide cause-marketing expression — Old Elk Folds of Honor Blended American Whiskey — priced at a $49.99 suggested retail. The SKU is available for preorder now through the Old Elk online bottle shop and at the Middle West Spirits distillery store in Columbus.
The Charity Tie
The expression is partnered with Folds of Honor, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of fallen or disabled U.S. service members and first responders. Since its founding in 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded more than 62,000 scholarships totaling approximately $290 million across all 50 states; the organization reports that 91 cents of every dollar raised flows directly to scholarships. The partnership positions the whiskey in a growing segment of spirits releases that embed social-mission narratives into their commercial launch strategies — a format that has demonstrated shelf-pull strength with patriotic and veteran-affiliated consumer cohorts.
Product & Distribution
The liquid is a blend of Old Elk High Malt Bourbon and Old Elk Rye, two existing expressions within the Middle West portfolio. Tasting notes from the distillery flag toasted oak, leather, and vanilla on the nose, with sweet and tart cherry alongside baking spices on the palate. At $49.99, the expression sits in the premium American whiskey tier — a price point that has seen sustained volume growth as consumers trade up from value blends while remaining cautious about ultra-premium spending.
Middle West Spirits, founded in 2008, describes itself as one of North America's largest independently owned distilleries and holds more than 200 spirits competition awards. Its vertically integrated model — covering grain selection, processing, distilling, aging, blending, and bottling at its Columbus facilities — gives the company tight cost control and the ability to support incremental SKUs without outsourcing production. The Folds of Honor expression adds a direct-to-consumer and on-premise narrative that aligns with broader craft spirits distribution trends favoring limited, story-driven releases.
"Working with Old Elk, an American whiskey that wholeheartedly believes in our purpose, showcases the power of two American organizations coming together to support a critical cause," said Luke Sherman, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development for Folds of Honor. Luis Gonzalez, Chief Commercial Officer of Middle West Spirits, framed the partnership as both a commercial and civic commitment, noting the company's intent to support military families beyond frontline service members.
The release is consistent with a pattern seen across the craft distillery and cause-marketing space, where nonprofits with high brand recognition — particularly those tied to veterans' causes — offer distillers a differentiated retail story at a moment when shelf space competition in the American whiskey category remains intense.
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.
