In First Release Since Being Acquired By Molson Coors, Blue Run Debuts Bourbon That Includes ‘Lost Whiskey’
Blue Run Spirits announced the release of its first bourbon of 2023 on Wednesday. The spirit, dubbed “Trifecta,” is Blue Run’s first release since being acquired by beer-producing giant Molson Coors earlier this month.
Trifecta is a blend of 9-year-old (32%), 8-year-old (22%) and 6-year-old (46%) bourbons. Blue Run Whiskey Director Shaylyn Gammon says chose to blend the 9- and 8-year-old whiskeys into the base 6-year bourbon for added depth, complexity and what she refers to as “wood heat.”
“‘Wood heat’ barrels are those that experienced 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 in a news release. “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.”
Trifecta is bottled at a near-barrel-proof mark of 117.1 and will be available for purchase from Blue Run’s website at 3 p.m. EST on Wednesday, August 23, 2023.
In an interesting twist of fate, the 9-year-old bourbon almost never made it into the blend. The whiskey somehow took a trip to Spain during what appeared to be a logistical mishap before being returned to the Georgetown-based distillery. For this reason, Gammon refers to the 9-year-old bourbon as the “Lost Whiskey.”
The 9-year-old bourbon is distilled from a mashbill of 78% yellow corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley. The 8-year-old hosts a mashbill of 75% yellow corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley. The youngest bourbon’s mashbill is made of 78% yellow corn, 12% rye and 10% malted barley.
Launched in October 2020, Blue Run Spirits is a very young brand that has achieved impressive success for its age. Blue Run is currently a non-distilling producer of whiskey but plans to graduate to distiller status. In August 2022, the company announced plans to build a $51 million distillery in Georgetown, Kentucky.
Blue Run Spirits Trifecta Bourbon Tasting Notes, Via the Brand
Nose: Unsalted brown butter, French vanilla cream, warm dark brown sugar and cinnamon. This segues into spicy pepper, juicy figs and dehydrated apples.
Taste: A silky texture, with cinnamon-spice dusted candied apple, baked bread drizzled with caramel, white chocolate and peppermint. Balanced wood char is interlaced throughout.
Finish: Warm vanilla with weathered oak. Trifecta’s medium finish balances out the upfront heat.
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