Kentucky’s Blue Run Spirits, freshly acquired by Molson Coors, recently announced the brand’s first “three-aged” bourbon, Trifecta.
A statement from the whiskey maker explained that Trifecta is available nationwide now, and is online at www.bluerunspirits.com/shop. It is the first bourbon release from Blue Run since their 12 Days of Bourbon holiday 2022 collection.
Blue Run’s Trifecta Kentucky Straight Bourbon starts with a base of six-year-old whiskey. Blue Run Whiskey Director Shaylyn Gammon said they add additional depth and character to the whiskey by blending the two whiskeys aged in the upper reaches of their respective rickhouses, giving them what she calls “wood heat.”
Those “Wood heat” barrels experience the highest temperatures the warehouse has to offer due to their position at the top, forcing out the water molecules and concentrating the alcohol within the barrel, Gammon said.
“These higher-proofed barrels, in turn, extract more of the components of the wood from the barrel that can contribute a particular wood intensity to the whiskey, which needs to be approached with a knowledgeable, restrained hand when blending,” she added.
These eight and nine-year-old barrels from Blue Run’s more than 5,000-barrel inventory were chosen with the knowledge that the six-year-old Kentucky whiskey would help balance the spiciness of the aged product.
Gammon called it a “precise art,” making sure the “wood heat” barrels add the desired layers of complexity without overpowering the base whiskey. In the final blend, they used 10% more of the nine-year-old than the eight-year-old specifically to achieve greater approachability at Trifecta’s near barrel proof of 117.1.
The respective mash bills are:
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- 9-year-old: 78% yellow corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley with a ratio fo 32%.
- 8-year-old: 75% yellow corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley with a ratio of 22%.
- 6-year-old: 78% yellow corn, 12% rye, 10% malted barley with a ratio of 46%.
Interestingly, Gammon explained, they call that nine-year-old bourbon in the Trifecta the “Lost Whiskey,” because after acquiring it from a partner distillery, it was discovered the whiskey had somehow made its way from Kentucky to Spain, and there was quite confusion before it returned to Kentucky.
The distiller’s notes show that the Trifecta, on the nose, features aromas of unsalted brown butter, French vanilla cream, dark brown sugar and cinnamon, along with spicy pepper, hints of figs, and dehydrated apples.
On the palate, it tastes of cinnamon-dusted candied apple, baked bread, caramel and peppermint, white chocolate. A balanced wood char lingers before finishing with warm vanilla, and weathered oak.
Blue Run Trifecta Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has a suggested retail price of $179.99 for a 750ml bottle.
For more information or to find a bottle, check out www.bluerunspirits.com.
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