Blue Run Spirits announced Trey Wade has joined the Georgetown, Kentucky-based whiskey company in the role of Chief Experience Curator for Blue Run’s forthcoming Private Barrel Program. Wade starts immediately, reporting to CEO and co-founder Mike Montgomery.

Wade, a well-known figure in the American whiskey industry, joins Blue Run having served as the Vice President of National Partnerships for the Black Bourbon Society for three years. An Executive Bourbon Steward, he has participated in more than 120 barrel selections and contributed to dozens of blending projects for well-known brands. In 2021, Trey collaborated with Blue Run on its inaugural 12 Days of Bourbon release, which set records for selling out 12 days in a row, each in less than two minutes.

Tapping into his years of experiential marketing experience at Dell, Amazon and Five Hour Energy, Wade will manage the curation of Blue Run’s first Private Barrel Program, developing an experience that is quintessentially Blue Run. The project will kick off in February, allowing select businesses, spirits societies and individuals to choose from a collection of carefully selected barrels, securing their own whiskey perfectly suited for them but with distinct Blue Run characteristics.

“We were introduced to Trey through Black Bourbon Society, founded by Samara Davis, and we knew instantly he shared the same vision and values as Blue Run,” said Montgomery in a news release. “After working with him on our first 12 Days of Bourbon project in 2021, I could see he had the attention to detail and the overall bourbon experience that would be perfectly suited to lead our Private Barrel Program. In short order, Trey will turn this into the preeminent barrel selection experience in the world and one of the critical pillars of our long-term growth plan, elevating the overall Blue Run customer experience to an even higher level.”

Wade will also oversee Blue Run’s corporate partnerships and culinary alignment.

“It struck me immediately that Blue Run was doing something different and interesting in the whiskey industry,” said Trey Wade. “There was an energy and a passion to reach a wider whiskey audience that I found infectious. I am very excited to bring yet another dimension to this vibrant organization.”

Blue Run Spirits has introduced 13 bourbon and rye whiskey releases since the company launched in October 2020, selling 21,000 9 liter cases in 2022 – a 300% year-over-year increase. It is forecasting sales of 32,000 9-liter cases in 2023. Blue Run plans to invest nearly $51 million in a 35,000-square-foot distillery and a 20,000-square-foot rickhouse in Georgetown, Kentucky which will break ground in Q2 2023.

“We feel strongly that the team at Blue Run should accurately reflect the diverse community that is embracing our whiskies,” continued Montgomery. “Shaylyn Gammon serving as our Whiskey Director and now Trey developing and leading our Private Barrel Program reflects our commitment to Blue Run’s founding mission and values.”

Blue Run Spirits can be purchased in California, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Texas and Washington (launching Q1 2023) (Republic National Distributing Company); Georgia (Savannah); South Carolina and Tennessee (Advintage); Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C. (Prestige-Ledroit); Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, and Wisconsin (Breakthru); New Jersey (Fedway Associates); New York (Empire); Kansas (Worldwide Beverage Group); Arkansas (Arkansas Wine and Spirits); Connecticut (Connecticut Distributors, Inc.); Massachusetts and Rhode Island (launching February 1, 2023) (Horizon); Alberta and Ontario (launching Q1 2023) (Evergreen); and online at www.bluerunspirits.com/shop powered by Seelbach’s.

Learn more about Blue Run Spirits and Trey Wade at www.bluerunspirits.com.