‘A Complex, Deep Flavor Experience’: Blue Run Spirits’ 1st Barrel Proof Rye Debuts From Powerhouse Team of Jim Rutledge, Shaylyn Gammon

Blue Run Spirits has released its first barrel-proof rye whiskey, Emerald Rye Whiskey. (Photo: Blue Run Spirits)

On Monday, Blue Run Spirits announced the launch of Blue Run Emerald Rye Whiskey, the second release in Blue Run’s Rye Whiskey series.

This whiskey is the first Blue Run Rye Whiskey to be contract distilled by Liquid Advisor and Bourbon Hall of Fame inductee Jim Rutledge at Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. At 116.7 proof, it is also the first Blue Run rye to be bottled at barrel proof.

Blue Run Emerald Rye is now available at select retailers in the U.S. and will be released online at BlueRunSpirits.com beginning at 3 p.m. EST on Tuesday.

Emerald Rye is a limited release crafted from 189 barrels. Blue run says it “embraces the distinct, spicy characteristics of Rye Whiskey, yet with the approachability and depth of a fine Bourbon.”

Emerald barrels were aged at different locations in Bardstown and Frankfort. Blue Run claims the difference in aging environments contributed to the blend’s approachability despite its high proof. In addition, Shaylyn crafted Emerald with whiskies born from three different mash bills with varying degrees of the core grain of rye, creating a rich liquid palette for her to work with when applying her award-winning blending skills.

Blue Run Whiskey Director Shaylyn Gammon, an alum of Wild Turkey, blended Emerald from three mashbills.

“This was an incredibly fun project to work on as I asked the Blue Run team what aspects of Rye Whiskey they truly loved,” Gammon said in a news release. “I then went about focusing my blend on those key attributes, zeroing in on fragrant herbs, fresh peppers and robust spice. Those three prominent notes provide the foundation for a complex, deep flavor experience all the way through to the finish.”

Blue Run Emerald Rye Whiskey is available for a suggested retail price of $109.99.

In August, Blue Run revealed plans to begin distilling with a proposal to build a $50 million distillery. In October, the company announced that it had signed a strategic financing deal with Advanced Spirits, a company specializing in “the procurement, financing and aging of whiskeys for brand partners.”

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