The team at Blue Run Spirits has announced the hiring of Shaylyn Gammon as its first Whiskey Director. Gammon has made a name for herself for her technical palate and ability to innovate across several projects for Campari Group (Owner of Kentucky’s Wild Turkey Distillery). Most notably, Gammon’s work on Russell’s Reserve 13-Year-Old Bourbon, which was named the “Best American Whiskey of 2021” by spirits critic and bourbon authority Fred Minnick. Gammon has worked closely with two legends of the Kentucky Bourbon industry, Jimmy and Eddie Russell, as Wild Turkey has continued to see many awards and recognition for their expanded whiskey lineup. The move to Blue Run will allow Gammon to grow the young brand as it continues to develop and expand their entire whiskey portfolio and footprint in the market.
Blue Run co-founders, Mike Montgomery and Jesse McKnight previously appeared on Bourbon Lens Podcast back in March 2021. You can find that episode here. We will look to have Shaylyn Gammon on an upcoming podcast to hear her plans for the brand. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast player so you don’t miss it.
Full Press Release:
Blue Run Spirits today announced the hiring of Shaylyn Gammon as its first Whiskey Director. Gammon will drive the development and expansion of Blue Run’s whiskey portfolio.
Gammon joins Blue Run Spirits from Campari Group, where she managed product innovation projects across the company’s North American portfolio. Based in Kentucky, she worked closely with the Bourbon Hall of Fame duo of Jimmy and Eddie Russell on Wild Turkey whiskies, in particular brand extensions such as Master’s Keep, Rare Breed, Russell’s Reserve and Matthew McConaughey’s Longbranch.
Gammon’s work with the Russell’s has been widely lauded. Most recently, Russell’s Reserve 13-Year-Old Bourbon was named the “Best American Whiskey of 2021” by world-renowned spirits critic and bourbon authority Fred Minnick. Double Gold Medal wins at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition include Longbranch, Rare Breed Rye, and Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Rye, which was also a finalist for Rye Whiskey of the Year at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge.
“We are thrilled to welcome a rising star in the spirits world like Shaylyn Gammon, who has sharpened her craft under the tutelage of two whiskies legends and now has the opportunity to take her skills to the next level at a startup that values quality, innovation and, most importantly, the customer experience,” said Mike Montgomery, cofounder and CEO of Blue Run Spirits. “Shaylyn will be instrumental in developing and managing our entire portfolio strategy.”
As Blue Run’s Whiskey Director, Gammon will work with the Blue Run team on the selection of sourced barrels for the company’s bourbon and rye releases, prepare the company’s private barrel selection program, and serve as a distillation apprentice to Blue Run Liquid Advisor Jim Rutledge. She will also work closely with the Blue Run team to strengthen and grow its comprehensive, long-term product and innovation strategy, tapping into her years of experience as a research and development scientist, and, of course, a huge whiskey fan.
“I am very excited to be joining the team at Blue Run Spirits as they expand their whiskey offerings in the US, Canada and beyond,” said Gammon. “The ability to learn from and apply all the teachings of the industry’s luminaries to a whiskey company on the rise is an opportunity I have dreamed of for years.”
Blue Run Spirits was started in October 2020 and has since created seven whiskey releases – several with separate expressions in a single release, such as the recent 12 Days of Single Barrel High Rye Bourbon this past December.
The company’s releases have sold out in mere minutes and have received many accolades, including Blue Run 14-Year-Old Small Batch Bourbon, which was awarded top honors at the prestigious 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition winning Best Small Batch Bourbon – 11 Years & Older, along with a Double Gold Medal. The company’s spring 2021 release, Blue Run 13.5-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon, was awarded Best Single Barrel Bourbon – 11 Years & Older, as well as a Double Gold Medal. Blue Run Kentucky Straight Golden Rye Whiskey was awarded a Gold Medal.
In addition to Campari Group, Gammon’s experience includes AmeriQual Foods, YUM! Brands and Land O’Frost. She is a member of the Bourbon Women Association; Women of the Vine and Spirits; and Louisville Women Leaders and is a graduate of the University of Kentucky in food science.
Blue Run Spirits can be purchased in Kentucky, California, Indiana, Louisiana and Texas (RNDC); Georgia (Savannah); South Carolina and Tennessee (Advintage); Washington, D.C., Maryland and Delaware (Prestige-Ledroit); Illinois and Colorado (Breakthru); New Jersey (Fedway Associates); Canada (Evergreen); and online through Seelbach’s at www.bluerunspirits.com/shop.
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 Wild Turkey and the Aperol Spritz; a former spirits distributor; and others with deep industry experience. The Blue Run name is a nod to one of the founder’s upbringing in Georgetown, KY.
