115: Blue Run Spirits - Tapping A Legend of the Bourbon World

Bourbon Lens

We are joined by the co-founders of Blue Run Spirits to talk about their new, premium Kentucky Bourbon. Their first batches released in late 2020 - early 2021, each a 13 year old sourced Kentucky Bourbon. Mike Montgomery and Jesse McKnight are the co-founders and have created a unique and diverse team to help grown this brand. Blue Run Bourbon was selected and blended with the assistance and expertise of Jim Rutledge, former Master Distiller of Four Roses. Blue Run has exciting plans for future limited batches, including single barrels and their own aged distillate. We appreciate the Blue Run Spirits’ team for providing us the opportunity to try their fall and winter batches of Blue Run Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

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Cheers,Scott, Michael & JakeBourbon Lens

About Blue Run Spirits:

Blue Run Spirits is a new kind of spirits company, creating a unique luxury proposition by tapping into the deep heritage and craft that makes a truly great whiskey, then elevating it through a modern design and marketing lens to reach a younger, broader and more diverse whiskey drinker.

The company’s founders include a Nike designer, the first director-level employee at Facebook, a hospitality executive, a political advisor, and a philanthropist – all huge whiskey fans and individuals who acutely understand how to build demand and buzz for a contemporary consumer product. They are backed by a team of advisors including Nike marketing experts; the Campari communications veteran behind the US launch of Espolòn Tequila and the Aperol Spritz; a former vice president of innovation from Brown-Forman; a former spirits distributor; and others with deep industry experience. The Blue Run name is a nod to one of our founder’s upbringing in Georgetown, KY, where Bourbon began in the Bluegrass State.

Find Blue Run Spirits online at www.bluerunspirits.com, and on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

About Our Guests:

Mike Montgomery is cofounder and CEO of Blue Run Spirits. Mike has spent the last few decades in public affairs consulting after working with California-based elected officials. Prior to his time in politics, he worked with the U.S. Canoe & Kayak team in Lake Placid, NY. He is a proud graduate of the University of Washington. Mike and his wife and daughter reside in Los Angeles.

As a native of Georgetown, Kentucky, Jesse McKnight grew up across the street from Elijah Craig’s homestead and has figuratively had Bourbon in his blood his whole life. He grew up playing in Royal Spring, which he called the Blue Run and has wanted to bring Bourbon back to Georgetown ever since. A graduate of the University of Kentucky, Jesse serves as Blue Run’s Chief Distribution Officer.

About Jim Rutledge, Liquid Advisor:

The iconic Jim Rutledge expertly approves Blue Run’s Bourbon selections and distills our new make Bourbon. Rutledge, a 50-year veteran of the industry, is the former Master Distiller of Four Roses Bourbon. Enshrined in the inaugural class of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2001, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 from Malt Advocate, and was named Ambassador of the Year by Whisky Magazine in 2008. Rutledge was also the 13th inductee (and only the 2nd American) into Whisky Magazine’s global hall of fame in 2013.

Photo Credit: Blue Run Spirits