Blue Run Golden Rye Whiskey Review

Erin Petrey -

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: Bottled by Blue Run Spirits, and sourced from an undisclosed Kentucky distillery
  • MASH BILL: Undisclosed (minimum 51% rye)
  • AGE: NAS - no age statement (minimum 2 years due to it's designation as a "straight whiskey")
  • PROOF: 95 Proof (47.5% ABV)
  • MSRP: $99.99
  • BUY ONLINE: Blue Run Shop - available starting 9/6/21

ERIN'S NOTES

NOSE: Sweet Sorghum | Grass | Light Oak

TASTE: Sweet Sorghum | Poached Pears | Vanilla | Toffee | Gentle Baking Spice

FINISH: No burn, mellows at the back of the palate.

SHARE WITH: Rye fans who love something fun and funky. Bourbon fans on the fence about rye.

WORTH THE PRICE: If you have been waiting for an opportunity to snag a bottle of Blue Run, this is the most affordable of the releases.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: I will be buying a bottle. Definitely a fun dram to try at a bar if the price tag is too much for you. With 92 barrels hitting the market, there should be plenty to go around.

OVERALL: This is Blue Run's inaugural rye release schedule to debut on September 6, 2021 – a sourced Kentucky straight rye whiskey. I found this rye to have a super cool funk on the palate with a very heavy note of sorghum sugar, which has a distinct earthy, sweet flavor. For those who are unfamiliar, sorghum is a sweet cereal grain and the plant produces a sap that is then evaporated and jarred as a natural sweetener. The sweetness of this rye makes it a great option for bourbon lovers who are on the fence about rye.

If you are a rye fan, I highly recommend trying this one. Oddly enough, after my initial tasting, I paired this with Chesapeake Snacklins (aka Old Bay flavored vegan pork rinds) and the flavor combination was INCREDIBLE.

I feel the rye whiskey mash bill is probably just barely legal (51% or just a bit higher) as the rye spice is very demure and plays well with other bolder spices. This rye would go amazingly paired with Old Bay peel n' eat shrimp or in a Rye Bloody Mary. This would also be a great wild card in a rye blind tasting flight.

As a point of clarification for those who are familiar with Blue Run's previous releases: former Four Roses Master Distiller, Jim Rutledge, was not involved in this Blue Run rye release.

BRAND NOTES

Blue Run small-batch Straight Golden Rye Whiskey is Blue Run’s inaugural Rye expression. Named for both the distinct color of the choice grains that were used in the creation process and the resulting golden-hued whiskey, Blue Run Golden Rye Straight Whiskey was awarded a Gold Medal at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

TASTING NOTES: Honey baked graham cracker aroma surrounded by sweet grains and wood sugar. Easygoing finish resting with honey and a dash of pear syrup, with touches of ginger that add just the right tingle.

DISTRIBUTION: Kentucky (RNDC); Georgia (Savannah); South Carolina and Tennessee (Advintage); Washington, D.C., Maryland and Delaware (Prestige-Ledroit); Illinois and Colorado (Breakthru); California (Park Street); and Canada (Evergreen) and online on www.bluerunspirits.com/shop.

Disclaimer: Blue Run provided Bourbon & Banter with a sample of their product for this review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.