Review #413 - New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon - Barrel #23275

Another New Riff single barrel, this time a newer version - we don't have a distillation or bottling season on the labels, but based on the styling of those labels, this likely was bottled in the last year or two (2023 or 2024). These are still aged for 4 years, and they generally follow the 'bottled-in-bond' standards, other than the 100 proof designation. They use a high-rye mashbill for their bourbons, so we're expecting a spicy experience.

Like all New Riff products, this single barrel bourbon is not chill filtered, and here we get cask strength presentation: 57.55% ABV, or 115.1 proof. There should be plenty of flavor to dig into.

New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon - Barrel #23275

USA - Bourbon

Current Locally Available Price: USD 60 (2024)

Age Statement: 4 Years

Strength: 57.55% ABV

Details: Not chill filtered, barrel no. 23275

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 1 month; bottles at 80%, 70%, and 40% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes

Nose: Quite oaky up front, with a little bit of alcohol prickle. There's a nice brown sugar note adding sweetness, a mild medicinal cherry, but this focuses on mature, spicy scents: cocktail bitters, barbecued wood, pepper, amaro. Later on, hints of oiled leather and dusty vanilla arrive.

Palate: A medium-thick mouthfeel - tannic, with lots of spicy, barbecued oak. Hints of leather and unsmoked tobacco, even black pepper... very mature for 4 years of aging. Mint and more pepper show the rye content, while brown sugar, cinnamon, and dark chocolate add baking flavors. At the end - a hint of cocktail cherry.

Finish: Spice and oak, barbecue, baking notes - this continues the palate nicely. Nutmeg, clove, menthol, cinnamon and chocolate add lots of baking and rye notes; pie crust, bitter orange, and tannins continue in the aftertaste. At the very end, some bitter amaro returns; it's a medium-long finish.

Final Note: A solid single barrel bourbon from New Riff - this one leaned into the spicy side of things, with lots of pepper, oak, and rye character. There were a few sweet flavors to balance it out, but this was definitely an oak-heavy experience; the maturity is impressive for a whisky that's only 4 years old.

This bottle was slightly more expensive than the typical New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon, but not by too much - value is still decent, above average. If you're interested in trying a high-quality single barrel bourbon, this brand is still one of the best value options on the market.

Our Average Rating: 6.9 / 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: 6.98

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.