Bull Run Distillery
Short overview of the distillery
Bull Run Distillery is located in Portland, Oregon and has been producing whiskey and specialty vodka since 2010. The distillery distinguishes itself through the use of cask finishes, including American whiskeys that have undergone extra maturation in wine casks. The name references the Bull Run watershed, and the place combines local rooting with ongoing experiments in cask selection.
History
Bull Run Distillery was founded in 2010 in Portland. The name is a deliberate reference to the Bull Run watershed, which supplies the city with soft water; the distillery emphasizes the water's role as an important ingredient in the production. Since its founding, the house has built a portfolio that includes both classic American whiskeys and more experimental cask-finish releases. The product list includes several variants such as straight bourbon, barrel-strength releases, a Carlton Rye, and an Oregon Single Malt, as well as special releases with wine-inspired finishes. The distillery's communication focuses on both a fixed range and periodic special cask projects.
Raw materials and production
Production at Bull Run draws on classic American whiskey types; the range includes bourbon, rye and single malt, as well as barrel-strength releases. The distillery emphasizes the importance of soft water from the Bull Run watershed in the process. Part of the production includes finishes in wine casks, for example Pinot Noir casks from Domaine Drouhin via Seguin-Moreau cooperage. In addition to whiskey, the house also produces specialty vodka and other spirits, indicating a flexible production line, but specific technical parameters such as fermentation time, number of stills, distillation methods, and grain composition are not disclosed in the material.
Maturation and cask types
The maturation of some of the house's whiskeys includes finishing in wine casks. A concrete example is a 16-year-old American whiskey that has received an 18-month finish in a French oak Pinot Noir barrel (Pinot Noir) from Domaine Drouhin, produced by Seguin-Moreau cooperage. The distillery works with cask finishes as a method to vary and develop its releases, and wine casks are a recurring element in these experiments.
Whiskeys
The portfolio covers a wide spectrum of American whiskey types: straight bourbon, barrel-strength releases, a Pinot Noir-finished American Whiskey, Carlton Straight Rye, and an Oregon Single Malt. In addition to whiskey, vodka, aquavit and rum are also in the range, which places Bull Run as a versatile producer of distilled spirits. Some releases are mainstays of the lineup, while others appear as special, cask-bound projects.
| Whiskey | Type / Series | Alcohol | Age | Cask and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TrackTown American Whiskey (16 Years, Pinot Noir Finish) | American Whiskey | 50 % | 16 Years | French oak Pinot Noir barrel (Seguin-Moreau cooperage); finish: Finished 18 months in a French oak Pinot Noir barrel from Domaine Drouhin (Seguin-Moreau cooperage). | 16-year-old American whiskey finished with an 18-month finish in a Seguin-Moreau French oak Pinot Noir barrel from Domaine Drouhin; bottled at 50% (100 proof). | Active |
| Pinot Noir Finished American Whiskey | American Whiskey | Part of the house's lineup with wine finishes, including the use of Pinot Noir casks for finishing. | Active; Core lineup; Regular lineup distributed in AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, KY, NV, NY, OR, TX, and WA | |||
| Barrel Strength American Whiskey | American Whiskey | Barrel-strength edition in the distillery's lineup. | Active; Core lineup; Regular lineup distributed in AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, KY, NV, NY, OR, TX, and WA | |||
| Straight Bourbon Whiskey | Bourbon | A straight bourbon in the distillery's lineup. | Active; Core lineup; Regular lineup distributed in AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, KY, NV, NY, OR, TX, and WA | |||
| Barrel Strength Bourbon | Bourbon | Barrel-strength variant of bourbon in the house's selection. | Active; Core lineup; Regular lineup distributed in AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, KY, NV, NY, OR, TX, and WA | |||
| Maple Whiskey | Flavored Whiskey | Maple edition in the distillery's product range. | Active; Core lineup; Regular lineup distributed in AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, KY, NV, NY, OR, TX, and WA | |||
| Carlton Straight Rye Whiskey | Rye Whiskey | Carlton Straight Rye Whiskey is part of the assortment and carries the region’s name in the product designation. | Active; Core lineup; Regular lineup distributed in AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, KY, NV, NY, OR, TX, and WA | |||
| Oregon Single Malt Whiskey | Single Malt | An Oregon Single Malt is part of the distillery's broad portfolio of spirits. | Active; Core lineup; Regular lineup distributed in AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, KY, NV, NY, OR, TX, and WA |
Visit the distillery
The distillery has a tasting room in Portland where guests can sample the full selection. Visitors are invited to drop by for a tasting, but daily guided tours are not offered due to busy production and limited space. For larger or special groups, pre-booked tours can be arranged by appointment. There is also a shop selling the distillery's products.
Philosophy and craftsmanship
Bull Run ties its identity to its local location at the Bull Run watershed and emphasizes the role of water in the distillation process. The distillery prioritizes cask finishes as a craft tool and works with wine casks and other cask projects to create variation in its releases.