Distiller: New Riff Distilling

Release: 2020

Bourbon: Single Barrel

Region: Newport, Kentucky

Price: $40.00

Proof: 113.2

Age:  Minimum 4 years

The Barrel Cellar Score:  88 Points

Review Date: 05/11/2020

About the Bourbon:   New Riff Distilling is a relatively new distiller; established in 2014.  They seem to be building a bit of a brand around the fact that they do not perform chill filtration on their offerings, and in doing so, highlight their intent to preserve the character of each barrel of Bourbon.

The bottle I am reviewing today is a Binny’s Beverage Depot store pick.  Having built a bit of a relationship with the staff there, I’m always pretty confident in the quality of their picks. Store pick single barrel offerings are one of my favorite ways to find a bottle I know will be unique and that I am likely to enjoy.

I enjoyed the whiskey for this review using a set of  Prestige diamond whiskey glasses.

Color: Rust

Nose:  Crème Brulee, oak, banana bread, bonfire, and brown sugar.

Taste: Oak, nutmeg, red pepper, and leather.  Drop a couple of ice cubes in and notes of candied orange, and charcoal emerge.

Finish: Charcoal and leather.

Assessment: The heat to body ratio on this barrel proof offering can feel a little intense on first taste.  It’s light to medium bodied (a product of youth) but has a hefty proof.  Fortunately, after some time in a glass this stuff really started to open-up. There are a lot of flavor notes in this bottle, though I think some more time in the barrel would have been beneficial to their development. The some one unique flavor note of candied orange on the finish is a nice touch. 

This single Barrel is an all-around solid bourbon, but I look towards the future when a 10 or 12 year bottle offering is released from the distiller.

New Riff Distilling’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Bourbon is very good.   88 points.