Review #314 - New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon
While New Riff's barrel proof single barrel bourbon is widely available, they also have an entry-level bourbon which is bottled in bond, coming in at 50% ABV (100 proof). It isn't a single barrel, but made up of batches of barrels; they used a mashbill of 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley, landing this whisky firmly in the 'high rye' bourbon realm.
Like those single barrels, they age this batched bourbon for 4 years, and then they bottle it without chill filtration. All of the grains used in production are non-GMO strains, and the 53 gallon barrels used for maturation are both toasted and charred for maximum oak influence.
New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon
USA - Bourbon
Current Locally Available Price: USD 36 (2024)
Age Statement: 4 Years
Strength: 50% ABV
Details: Not chill filtered, bottled-in-bond
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 3 years; bottles at 60%, 100%, 100%, and 50% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Rich and oaky, leans a bit dry, with lots of baking notes. Spicy oak, hints of rye character, brown sugar, and lots of clove; pepper and nutmeg, a mild dusty scent, and hints of cinnamon and barbecue. A sweeter side slowly develops - vanilla, orange zest, maybe a hint of cherry from time to time; in the end, bits of molasses.
Palate: Warming, with a medium mouthfeel. Quite a spice kick to start, with anise, pepper, rye, and wood smoke; then, sweeter notes of Luxardo cherry, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nectarine arrive. The oak is relatively strong for the 4 year age statement; accent flavors include herbal notes, creme brulee, cardamom, and roasted nuts.
Finish: Medium length, oily, and spicy - cinnamon, dry oak, and some wood char. Brown sugar is again the dominant sweet note, though we do get hints of fruit like orange... more spices in the aftertaste, like star anise and peppermint, and there's a nice black tea flavor.
Final Note: This is a solid, if unexceptional, entry-level bourbon from a relatively new brand. The single barrel version, which is presented at barrel proof, will offer some more unique and punchy flavors; this batched product gives a rounded, more balanced experience, though it still can lean a bit dry and spicy. Like a lot of New Riff products, this also shows some decent oak presence at a relatively young age.
Value is pretty good - the price on this bottle has slowly crept down in our area over the last few years, leaving more room to place the specialty bottles from the brand in the $50 to $70 price range, which is quite reasonable. A solid value pick bottle, but for not too much more money, you can also experience the unique flavors of the New Riff single barrel bourbons.
Our Average Rating: 6.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 7.10
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
