New Riff Single Barrel Rye is the same whiskey as the tasty New Riff rye. Only it’s a single barrel AND cask strength. They’re already non chill-filtered so that’s nothing new, but the extra proof and variation of single barrels make this something worth taking a closer look at.
Ever since I had my first taste of New Riff I was enamored. It was rich, it had depth and it held a complexity that defied the craft whiskey stereotype. They were proof that new distilleries/craft whiskey could be done right, without cutting corners, and the end result would be able to go toe-to-toe with the big brands. So long as they keep it up, they have a life-long fan in me.
New Riff Single Barrel Rye – Details and Tasting Notes
Whiskey Details
Region: Kentucky
Distiller: New Riff Distilling
Mash Bill: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Rye
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 4 Years
ABV: 56.7%
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Barrel: 16-9071
Price: $50
Tasting Notes
EYE
Caramel
NOSE
Biscuity, rye spice, dark sweets, citrus, oak and cocoa.
PALATE
Oak, dilly rye spice, biscuity, lime zest, dark sweets, citrus dried dark fruit and cocoa.
FINISH
Long -> Oak, cocoa and olde candy with a touch of citrus.
BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Good sense of balance, full body and a heavy oily feel.
New Riff Single Barrel Rye – Overall
This is just awesome stuff… as is everything else they do from their bourbon to their gins. All highly recommended.
Aroma starts kind of light and muted, but after a few minutes in the glass it blossoms and becomes a nice bouquet of oaky, spicy and sweet citrusy notes with a touch of dark sweetness; Palate comes through as a more complex version of the aroma with more fruit notes and a bigger dose of the dill-like spice; Finish is the perfect dark fade of oak and sweets with a bright pop of citrus.
New Riff Single Barrel Rye – Final Thoughts and Score
The longer this opens the more “dark sweets” profiles start to show with some hints of butterscotch and caramel. The fruity notes also rise, but never outpace the oak and spice notes. Adding water enhances the whiskey by deepening these profiles.
This is the kind of rye I just love because it’s fun, it’s interesting and with this SiB you get to explore a singular aspect of what goes into their standard New Riff Rye for a measly $5 more. Hands down, this is one of my most recommended ryes these days, the New Riff Single Barrel Rye is just plain good stuff!
SCORE: 3.5/5
New Riff Single Barrel Rye Review $50
Overall
3.5- Nose (3.5)
- Palate (4)
- Finish (3.5)
- BBF (3)
User Review
0 (0 votes) Comments Rating 0 (0 reviews)Summary
When it comes to flavor-for-value it’s hard to outdo what New Riff is doing. They’re taking their time, doing it right and it shows in the quality of their rye… and their bourbon… and their gin.
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