Blue Run Kentucky Straight High Rye Bourbon

In a recent tasting review for Five Trail whisky, I noted that Coors is entering the whisky market. A friend who works for Coors has been sending me samples, including their own distilled whisky and a sample of Blue Run High Rye Bourbon, a company Coors recently acquired. I admit I was more eager for the Blue Run sample due to generally positive reviews and its $100 price tag, so receiving a complimentary sample for my thoughts was welcome. Although my friend isn't in the whisky division, my curiosity was piqued. Having a chance for a video call to taste together and share opinions was appealing. Beyond seeing the distinctive butterfly bottle occasionally and looking at scores, I have little familiarity with Blue Run, so this is new territory. How does it fare? The aroma initially presents considerable heat, but allowing it to rest in the glass for 5-10 minutes diminishes the heat, revealing a distinct high rye character of spice and mint. There's a somewhat Colgate-like quality, which isn't unpleasant – like an alcoholic toothpaste or perhaps mouthwash. This sensation would certainly resonate with those who've discreetly brought bourbon to high school dances in Listerine bottles. Some traditional bourbon notes are present, primarily sweet corn and vanilla, but the rye notes seem to dominate the bourbon character. There's also a spice reminiscent of red bell pepper, which is a welcome addition. Overall, the combination creates a pleasing scent that, while not groundbreaking, is enjoyable to drink. The palate is sweet, with a prominent corn presence, akin to corn syrup. The mint persists, but mingled with the corn syrup sweetness, it evokes the sensation of unwrapping a candy cane from your Christmas tree and stirring it into your bourbon out of curiosity, finding your drink imbued with festive cheer. Honestly, this feels like a December-appropriate drink. The finish offers mint and spice, along with a residual sensation of having just rinsed with mouthwash. It's distinctive and not at all bad. I'd describe it as an extremely interesting $50 bottle that happens to retail for $100. This leads to the question: what is Coors' strategy here? As my review of Five Trail indicated, it's a decent blended whisky sold for $55 that costs $30, revealing a pattern of releasing decent whiskies at inflated prices. Given that Coors' main brand appeals to budget-conscious beer drinkers, their whisky strategy seems questionable. Price in whisky, as we know, doesn't always correlate with quality but rather with available stock. Are they planning to expand warehousing to age higher-end products at appropriate price points while offering a lower-end product for quicker, cheaper sales? Or will they continue with the boutique, high-end curiosity bottlings that seem to define Blue Run? I'd be fascinated to understand the thinking behind this, as I don't foresee a successful strategy. They've retained the Blue Run leadership, which is a reasonable starting point as they appear to be crafting interesting whiskies based on my research. However, my primary question extends beyond the creation of interesting whiskies to their marketing strategy: how will they sell enough of this product to make it worthwhile? Blue Run strikes me as having potential, but currently, they are producing whiskies that feel like a lesser version of Barrell. This whisky is priced at $100, yet I would much prefer Larceny Barrel Proof, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, or Maker's Mark Cask Strength, all of which are considerably less expensive. So, how will they persuade me to purchase their product when I can immediately name four superior and more affordable alternatives (Old Forester 1920, New Riff Barrel Proof Bourbon, Knob Creek Single Barrel Barrel Proof) and could easily list more?

The aroma presents candied tangerine, butterscotch, banana, oak, marzipan, and leather. Oddly, the ethanol seems to fluctuate, sometimes being a distracting presence, other times just a slight note. The initial taste delivers the strong butterscotch from the aroma, followed by caramel, vanilla, and then apricot and citrus zest in the middle. The flavors are not overly intricate but are quite solid. Things seem good so far, correct? Unfortunately, the finish ruins everything; it's harsh and sharp with immature notes of bitter oak, intense cinnamon candy, and drying alcohol. It lasts an exceptionally long time, but you'd prefer it didn't. The texture feels gritty and rough on the tongue after several sips. A hopeful beginning that ended up being a major letdown. All the effort in blending cannot conceal the whiskey's youth. I understand this bottle is trendy, but I call it as I experience it. No apologies. I found this at a good price of $50, and I still can't suggest it. At its typical price of roughly $90? Ridiculous. I'm uncertain what other tasters are perceiving that I'm missing, but for me, this is definitely one to steer clear of.

Thankfully, I'm finishing this bottle. I acquired it just under two years ago. I was really eager to sample the creations of Jim Rutledge, the former master distiller at Four Roses, following his retirement. I was so enthusiastic that I exchanged a Blanton's to obtain this Blue Run High Rye Bourbon. Unsurprisingly, I don't anticipate returning to Blue Run after this experience. On the nose, I detect ethanol and oak. That's truly all I can discern. On the palate, I was overwhelmed by some spice, oakiness, and a touch of citrus. You can certainly identify its high rye content. However, the flavors lacked depth and cohesion. When I first opened the bottle, I gave it the benefit of the doubt, assuming it needed time to aerate and develop, but I revisited it repeatedly with no change or improvement. A couple of friends tried it and shared similar sentiments. I've decided to use the remainder in Old Fashioneds or with cola. It wasn't the original intention, but I refuse to waste spirits down the drain.

The nose is sweet corn, candy corn, peanut shells, caramel, grassy herbs and rye grain, but on the tongue the rye hits me right away - it's quite hot - dark rye spice, maybe cinnamon red hots, cloves, black pepper. At the first taste, I would have said this is rye whiskey, and not bourbon, but the corn elements really roll out as the flavor evolves. It's still hot with a lot of rye spice and cinnamon, but I get barrel char, caramel, candy corn, corn syrup. Really nice long smoky finish with burnt caramel and grassy rye. Really great flavor profile, but I feel that the balance is a little off for my taste, and that there are some rough edges that could stand to be mellowed and melded a bit to make this superb. All around good whiskey, all things considered, and this is an excellent winter or fall holiday companion.

Took a short hiatus from the drink because of an unpleasant stint with a sinus infection. Once cured I decided to open one of my newest additions to the cabinet. I haven't had any prior knowledge of this brand, but the bottle/label beckoned me. The nose on this contained an inviting cherry and oak essence. Tasting notes consisted of faint cherry which transitioned to the rye spice and leather I was anticipating. This caused the finish to linger and persist in a pleasant manner. Second pour netted a touch of cinnamon and dusted cocoa on both smell and taste respectively. The 111 proof impressively went unnoticed throughout. I'm definitely looking forward to the next pour. Cheers all 🥃

Nose: I immediately notice the pepper, fruity, and licorice notes characteristic of rye, with a subtle hint of vanilla underneath - surprisingly subdued considering the alcohol content. Palate: The black pepper hits hard and fast from the start, and some of the licorice from the nose carries through. Towards the back, there's vanilla and baking spices - it drinks more like a rye than a bourbon. Finish: The spice persists through the fairly long finish, providing a nice "Kentucky hug" all the way down, but with surprisingly little burn - very pleasant and would be perfect on a cold evening.