Blue Run Spirits has released the first bottle in the Blue Run Blueprint Series, a 105 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey blended from two unique mashbills. It was blended by Shaylyn Gammon, Blue Run's Head of Whiskey and Innovation, carries an MSRP of $69.99, and has been available nationally at select fine spirits retailers since May 1.
Two Mashbills, One Blend - Still Bourbon
The Blueprint Series combines one wheated mashbill with an experimental mash that Blue Run says pays homage to the brand's boundary-pushing nature. The experimental side is an 80/15/0/5 bourbon laid down during the infancy of the brand, known affectionately at Blue Run as the "Founders' Mash."
The word blend does two different jobs in whiskey, and this is the craft one. A blended whiskey in the federal sense is a mixture that brings in neutral grain spirits or whiskey of another type, which is a separate and lesser category. Mingling straight bourbons that were all produced in the same state does not change what they are, so a whiskey built this way is still straight bourbon. Both of these components are bourbon in their own right and both aged in Kentucky, which is why the label still reads Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Nearly every bourbon on the shelf is a blend in this sense. Small batch simply means someone married a set of barrels together. Single barrel is the only bourbon that is not.
The Founders' Mash provides a fusely, fruit-forward component that adds a twist on the expected. Having aged on a lower floor, it grounds the blend with those notes. Combined with the top-floor-aged wheated mashbill, it gives the whiskey an unexpected woody heat and a pleasant softness.
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Gammon, one of the most decorated women in American whiskey, is known for delivering the unexpected in a premium manner. Blue Run landed on 105 proof (52.5% ABV) after extensive evaluation using the brand's most intriguing barrels, aiming for a bold concentration of flavor while holding onto balance and silkiness.
Orchard Fruit on the Nose, Dry Wood Heat on the Finish
The experience begins with a nose of soft floral notes and subtle orchard fruit, followed by a palate of warm baking spice, juicy apple, and cinnamon. The finish provides toasted oak and a lingering warmth of spice with a hint of dry wood heat.
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The bourbon performs equally well neat, on the rocks, or in an Old Fashioned. Blue Run expects it to secure a place of prominence on backbars.
The packaging features the signature Blue Run French-cut glass bottle, precious metal elements, and the iconic viceroy butterfly, which the brand says symbolizes creativity and transformation.
Proof, Price, and Where to Buy It
- Proof - 105 (52.5% ABV)
- MSRP - $69.99
- Mashbills - one wheated, one experimental 80/15/0/5 "Founders' Mash"
- Blended by - Shaylyn Gammon, Head of Whiskey and Innovation
- Availability - nationally at select fine spirits retailers since May 1
Bourbon Heritage Still Thrives On Innovation
Gammon laid out the goal directly. "When crafting Blue Run releases, I think about the qualities bourbon enthusiasts expect, while also considering how we invite new consumers into the category," she said. "With the Blueprint Series, the goal was to create a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that can serve as a blueprint for discovery - something approachable and soft, yet layered enough to inspire continued exploration."
This inaugural release serves as the blueprint for what is to come, so more entries in the series should follow. Blue Run Spirits was founded in Georgetown, Kentucky, and has earned Platinum and Gold recognitions at the ASCOT, TAG Global, and San Francisco World Spirits Competitions. More at bluerunspirits.com. Drink responsibly.