A new bottle on Michigan liquor store shelves is asking Detroit Tigers fans to raise a glass to 125 years of baseball. Blue Run Spirits and the Tigers have released the Detroit Tigers Blue Run Blueprint Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a limited-edition 105-proof spirit retailing for $69.99 and designed to mark the franchise's 125th season in the majors.
The bottle is a joint release between Blue Run Spirits and Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, according to The Detroit News. Its label features Blue Run's signature viceroy butterfly rendered in Tigers orange and navy blue alongside an Old English D, tying the Kentucky distiller's branding directly to the ballclub's identity. Tasting notes describe a soft floral nose with subtle orchard fruit, warm baking spices, cinnamon, and a toasted oak finish.
A Blend Built Around an Experimental Mash
The bourbon inside the bottle has its own backstory. Blue Run's Blueprint Series flagship line was created in April by Head of Whiskey and Innovation Shaylyn Gammon, who blended a top-floor-aged wheated bourbon with an experimental lower-floor-aged mashbill made from corn, rye, and malted barley that the distillery internally calls the Founders' Mash, according to Breaking Bourbon. The platform was built as a flagship line for exploring non-traditional flavor profiles rather than a one-off novelty bottle.
That structure has made the Blueprint Series a natural vehicle for team collaborations. Blue Run used it in March to release a commemorative 111-proof High Rye Bourbon with the Atlanta Braves, marking that franchise's 60th anniversary in Atlanta, as detailed by Delaware North. The Tigers release follows the same template: a milestone anniversary, a distinct proof point, and packaging built around team colors.
From Georgetown Startup to Molson Coors Portfolio
Blue Run Spirits has grown quickly since CEO Mike Montgomery and partners founded the company in October 2020. The brand originally sourced its aged stocks from regional Kentucky distillers before announcing a $51 million investment in August 2022 to build a 35,000-square-foot distillery and 20,000-square-foot rickhouse in Georgetown, Kentucky, according to the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. Global beverage giant Molson Coors Beverage Company acquired Blue Run in August 2023 to launch its Coors Spirits Co. division, marking the brewer's first-ever spirits acquisition.
That corporate backing gives Blue Run the distribution muscle to place bottles in stores across state lines, including in control states like Michigan. Under Michigan Liquor Control Commission regulations, spirits retailers must adhere to state-mandated minimum retail shelf pricing and purchase distilled spirits through authorized state distribution agents, which helps explain the bottle's uniform $69.99 price tag at stores that can order it, including Total Wine.
Cashing In on a Strong Season
The timing lines up with genuine momentum on the field. The Tigers entered 2026 as AL Central favorites following a 2025 playoff run and back-to-back Cy Young Award wins by ace pitcher Tarik Skubal, according to USA Today. The franchise itself traces its roots to 1894 in the Western League before becoming a charter member of the American League in 1901, making this season its 125th in major league play and giving the anniversary marketing real historical weight behind it.
Co-branded team whiskeys have become increasingly common across MLB as distillers chase collector interest. Maker's Mark released a limited Los Angeles Dodgers charity bottle in July 2025, and Jim Beam has put out similar commemorative releases, notes bourbon journalist Fred Minnick — team bottles frequently command premium resale value among fans and collectors. Inside Comerica Park itself, concessions and hospitality are run by Delaware North Sportservice in partnership with Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, which operates specialized spirit carts and local Detroit food concepts throughout the ballpark.
The bourbon release also fits into Ilitch Sports + Entertainment's broader push toward premium fan experiences at Comerica Park. Hoodline previously reported that the organization replaced 490 standard seats with 350 climate-controlled Home Plate Club and Loge Box seats ahead of the 2025 season, part of a pattern of upgrading amenities around the ballpark to match the team's rising on-field profile.
