Temperance Trader Bourbon Maker Unveils New American Whiskey

Bull Run Distilling Company out of Portland, Oregon, while awaiting their own whiskey aging in barrel, has turned to product from others with resounding success in the form of its Temperance Trader bourbon line. The distillery, led by Oregon distilling maestro Le Medoff, has just unveiled a new offering in the same vein known as Temperance Trader American Whiskey. I’ve had the pleasure of covering Medoff over the years as he has helped Oregon’s spirits scene evolve, so it is really awesome to see a new whiskey surface from his operation.

The distillery told me it describes Temperance Trader American Whiskey as “a unique whiskey expression with amazing flavor and smoothness that results in a rare drinkability.” Like the bourbon before it, while this whiskey was conceived elsewhere, in this case “American’s Heartland, it was born in the Northwest Territory” and “cut with the pure, raw water from the Bull Run Watershed” that supplies the city of Portland with its highly regarded fresh water supply.

A medium-gold colored whiskey heralding predominantly from corn with malted barley, it has an age statement that’s a minimum of six years in used bourbon barrels. Alcohol content will vary small batch by small batch, but one can generally expect it to bottle at around 84 proof. Price wise expect to pay around $33 for it at the distillery and varying prices at other locations.

Official tasting notes from Bull Run for the American Whiskey are below.

Aroma: Vanilla with hints of Bing cherry.
Palate: Vanilla sugar, caramel cream, barrel and baked fruit and spice
Finish: Hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove with a touch of Mesquite smoke and cherries.