Bourbon

Bourbon Review: Blue Run Kentucky Straight High Rye Bourbon

We review Blue Run Kentucky Straight High Rye Bourbon. It's a limited release from a new brand advised by Jim Rutledge.

OVERALL RATING

10
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Blue Run Kentucky Straight High Rye Bourbon

Tasting Notes

About:

111 proof, aged 4 years, and available for an price of $172
Appearance:
Light golden color with thin but durable legs
Nose:
Honey toast gives way to baking spices–nutmeg, ginger–that tickle the nose a bit.
Palate:
Sweet and a bit earthy, I got alternating impressions of trailside blackberries and pu-erh tea and was exceedingly happy with both. The rye spice follows in short order, accompanied by the heat from the 111 proof, and fades into a gingery-sweet finish.
Finish:
Comments:
I’m not going to beat around the bush: this is really good stuff. This dram produces no fewer than three distinct aromas/flavors that are major nostalgia bombs for me personally so I’m not impartial here, but even if I’m working to evaluate objectively they are all complementary and gently layered together.rnrnThis is a limited release, marketed and priced as a luxury product. This will, unfortunately, make it inaccessible to many drinkers due to either availability or cost. That said, if you have the opportunity and the “liquid” funds to get yourself a bottle, I say go for it. There’s plenty that makes this an interesting and special bottle–a distilling legend producing a limited run rye with an ascendant distillery is a much better story behind than I was initially expecting–and the bourbon itself packs the flavor to be much more than a conversation piece. If you miss out on this run, the interviews and press surrounding this bottle indicate that there will be subsequent bottling with time, and those will absolutely be worth watching for.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Jacob Wirt

Jacob Wirt, whose past lives as a cook and cultural studies researcher, continues to shape his deep appreciation for fermented grain beverages. His understanding extends beyond the mere enjoyment of the drink; he recognizes the knowledge, labor, and rich history behind every glass. With a passion for homebrewing beer, Wirt finds a similar fascination in whiskey, exploring how techniques, ingredients, and nuanced variables create the distinctive character of each expression.

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