Goldrun Rye Whiskey
Goldrun Rye Whiskey is a 90-proof (45% ABV) 100% rye whiskey from Old World Spirits in Belmont, California — a Croatian eau-de-vie distiller's take on American rye. Founder Davorin Kuchan, a third-generation distiller, ferments 100% organic white rye from North Dakota with a Champagne yeast strain over seven to ten days — a slow, wine-like ferment almost unheard of in whiskey — then double-distills it in a 110-gallon hand-hammered Christian Carl copper alembic. It's aged a minimum of one year in new, charred American oak from Minnesota. K&L's David Driscoll calls it California's first home-made 100% rye whiskey since Old Potrero, noting that fermenting 100% rye fully — most distilleries cheat with barley — was the technical triumph. This 750mL bottle is small-batch California craft at its most precise. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 45% (90 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Mash bill: 100% organic white rye (North Dakota)
- Aging: Minimum 1 year in new, charred American oak (Minnesota)
- Production: Champagne yeast ferment (7–10 days); double-distilled in 110-gallon Christian Carl copper alembic
- Origin: Old World Spirits, Belmont, California — Davorin Kuchan
Eau-de-Vie Precision Meets American Rye
Kuchan's background is European fruit brandy, and it shows: where most rye is about barrel punch, Goldrun is about clarity. The Champagne yeast and slow ferment build delicate fruit and floral notes; the alembic keeps the distillate clean; the single year in new oak adds structure without burying the grain. Expect fresh-baked rye bread, yeast, and warm cereal on the nose, marmalade on rye toast with honey and pecans on the palate, and a soft, bready, gently spiced finish with cinnamon, vanilla, and honey. Compare California craft in our rye whiskey collection or browse the Goldrun range.
Tasting Notes
Nose: fresh-baked rye bread, yeast, warm rye cereal, honeysuckle. Palate: fruity and bready — doughy bread, biscuits, honey, marmalade, fresh persimmon, soft spice. Finish: all fresh rye — cinnamon, vanilla, and honey, clean and lingering.
How to Enjoy
Neat or with a splash of water to open the bread-and-honey character. The 90 proof and elegant profile make it a refined Old Fashioned rye — a teaspoon of demerara and two dashes of bitters, nothing more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Goldrun different from other rye whiskeys?
It's 100% rye — no barley or corn — fermented with Champagne yeast over 7–10 days and double-distilled in a small copper alembic by a third-generation Croatian distiller. Most distilleries add barley to make 100% rye fermentable; Goldrun doesn't.
How old is Goldrun Rye?
Aged a minimum of one year in new, charred American oak barrels from Minnesota.
Is it "Goldrun" or "Gold Run"?
Both spellings appear at retail; the distillery's whiskey is most often styled "Gold Run," while Del Mesa lists it as "Goldrun Rye Whiskey."
For California craft rye with European soul, order Goldrun Rye Whiskey online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — 750mL.