Blue Run High Rye Bourbon Quick Review

My reviews tend to be long-winded and very in-depth. I know that many readers don’t have the time or patience to read them all. This is why I have decided to create a “Quick Review” format. I’m not going to cover backstories, distilling methods or anything like that if I know I’ve covered it in a previous review of a similar bottle. You’ll find that a lot of these quick reviews will be based on single barrel picks because their backstory is usually the same with the exception of the group that picked them.

Introduction

Blue Run Spirits made quite a splash when their inaugural bourbon was first released in 2020. Those barrels of 13-year-old bourbon were sourced from Barton and had a fair amount of positive press and reviews surrounding them. They even won Best Small Batch Bourbon and Best Single Barrel Bourbon at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

After the barrels ran dry, Blue Run switched to younger distillate that was contract distilled for them. In the case of today’s bottle – Blue Run High Rye Bourbon, it was Jim Rutledge who got permission to distill this bourbon recipe on Castle & Key’s equipment in 2017. The recipe he chose for this high rye bourbon was 65% corn, 30% rye and 5% malted barley. This recipe feels familiar to the high-rye bourbon he made while he was Master Distiller at Four Roses which used 60% corn, 35% rye and 5% malted barley.

Blue Run High Rye Bourbon

The first batch of Blue Run’s High Rye Bourbon was only aged for four years and while subsequent batches remain Non-Age Stated (NAS), it’s a safe assumption that they’ve been allowed to age longer. The batches may have also gotten larger (the first release was a batch of 100 barrels). The batch I’m reviewing today was bottled in June, 2022 which means its the second batch and should have another year of age on it (so let’s call it 5 years old).

Bottled at 111 proof (it’s not believed this is barrel proof), Blue Run High Rye Bourbon was a moderate success with both enthusiasts who value a higher proof and beginners who value packaging and design. The main issue holding back consumers of all kinds was its relatively high pricetag of $90 (so it’s over $20 per year aged). But since Blue Run fancies themselves as a premium bourbon brand, the prices were always going to be a little bit higher. But is it worth it? Let’s find out. I sampled this neat in a glencairn.

Tasting Notes

Nose: A wide range of scents that never gets dominated by any particular one. I can detect sweet oak, caramel, and Mardi Gras style King Cake. For fruit I get oranges, candied apples and cherries. Then there are contrasting rye grain notes like mint and hibiscus tea. Everything works well together.

Palate: The first sip can’t seem to escape a certain kind of youthfulness about it, but with some really bright flavors behind it. I find candied oranges and lemon peel. Sweetness comes from caramel and sweet cornbread (which also highlights the underlying grainy element this bourbon has). Spice notes come by way of cinnamon, nutmeg and peppermint. I’m a little surprised that the fruit element is so lacking on the palate, but this is a fine array of flavors anyway.

Finish: The finish centers on spice and sweetness. After the sip is complete, I find notes of oak spice, cinnamon, and a bit of allspice. Sweetness comes from hard caramel candies and a little bit more of that sweet cornbread effect.

Score: 7.3/10

In full disclosure, I came into this bottle with low expectations. After the first few sips, those low expectations were erased. I actually really liked what I found in my glass. There was some youthfulness that still needs time to mature out, but otherwise it was rich and flavorful. I was somewhat expecting to find a “Four Roses Jr.” which didn’t happen, but what I did find was something that should eventually be on the same playing field after it gains a few more years in the barrel.

I often shy away from the first iteration of certain bourbons because I know they need their kinks worked out. That’s not the case with Blue Run High Rye. It’s good to go from the first bottling run. Now if only they could bring the price down a bit, this would gain more momentum among drinkers. I can’t wait to taste this over the next few years.