New Riff Bourbon Review

Founded in 2014, New Riff Distilling set out to be the craft distiller who did it right. Full-sized barrels; following the Bottled-In-Bond standards (4+ years, 100 proof, from a single season, etc.); bottled without any chill filtering... how could it not be good? At least on paper, New Riff Bourbon sounds like it should be hitting the kind of quality you'd expect from some of the big guys.

And you'd be right to expect it, which we'll fully explore in the bourbon review below, but before we do I want to commend them on something more than just the standards they've set down: their transparency. No secret mash bills, no BS story, no sourcing-but-pretending-you're-not, nothing. Just good, honest, bourbon. Now, let's get into it.

New Riff Bourbon Review: Details and Tasting Notes

New Riff Distilling's core Bourbon expression is a genuinely high-rye, full bodied whiskey offering savory, spicy character. Building upon America's 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act-already the highest quality standard for aged spirits in the world-New Riff Bourbon is Bottled In Bond Without Chill Filtration.

New Riff Bourbon Review: Details (price, mash bill, cask type, ABV, etc.)

Region: Kentucky, USA

Price: $50*

New Riff Bourbon Review: Tasting Notes

Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color

NOSE
Oak, cinnamon heavy spice, honey, fruit, caramel, biscuits, fruit, caramel, buttered popcorn and bits of herbal, melon and cocoa notes.

PALATE
Peanut brittle, spice, orange peel, caramel, buttered toffee, spice, herbal and some citrus and vanilla that reminds me of a Dreamsicle.

FINISH
Long -> Spice, caramel and oak fades to a musty vanilla.

BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Great sense of balance, medium body and warm satiny feel.

New Riff Bourbon Review: Overall and Score

Craft distilleries take note, this is the target, it can be done. Aroma is an oak forward mix of old furniture and fresh cut lumber - quite unique - with a fruit component that's hard to pin down but a trail mix of dried dark fruits and orchard fruits; layers of sweetness and spice keep it balanced. Palate is nearly the same experience but with more of the darkly sweet and spice notes coming through. Finish is just perfect.

These guys are fairly new on the scene, and this is my first taste of what they're doing, but if this bottle of New Riff Bourbon is the starting point I can't even imagine where they're going to end up. This is a worthy competitor to the established bourbon guys and I'm excited to see what they continue to do and how their whiskey changes as stocks continue to mature.

SCORE: 87/100 (B+)

*Disclosure: This New Riff Bourbon was graciously sent to me by the company for the purposes of this review. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.

New Riff Bourbon Review Summary