The Ohio Department of Liquor (OHLQ) has announced the availability of two selections of New Riff hitting shelves this week (Week of October 30th). The selections are seven (7) barrels worth of New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon with a price of $52.99…
The Ohio Department of Liquor (OHLQ) has announced the availability of two selections of New Riff hitting shelves this week (Week of October 30th). The selections are seven (7) barrels worth of New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon with a price of $52.99 + tax per bottle and three (3) barrels worth of New Riff Single Barrel Rye with a price of $59.99 + tax.
The tasting notes for the barrels are:
New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon
Barrel #17114 - 110.8 Proof (55.4% Alcohol) - Tropical banana and spice on the nose escalate to even bolder spice on the palate, subtly accompanied by chocolate and coffee.
Barrel #18079 - 110.1 Proof (55.05% Alcohol) - The sweet aroma of warm berry opens up to deep, dark notes of fruit and cocoa and a lingering, gentle spice.
Barrel #18086 - 112.4 Proof (56.2% Alcohol) - Spicy Sichuan pepper and bubblegum create a unique but alluring pair as rich notes of tobacco and a hint of cola delight the palate.
Barrel #18258 - 112.7 Proof (56.35% Alcohol) - An aromatic blend of charred butterscotch and toffee unveils a velvety sweet symphony of vanilla with a subtle whisper of spice.
Barrel #19122 - 112.7 Proof (56.35% Alcohol) - The warm embrace of charred brown sugar opens up to dry, smoky cedar and silky smooth maple.
Barrel #19126 - 112.4 Proof (56.2% Alcohol) - A bold aroma of cloves paves the way for a rich, satisfying burst of citrus on the palate.
Barrel #19443 - 111.5 Proof (55.75% Alcohol) - Inviting notes of deep caramel and honey round out the aroma of rich baking spices, evolving into sweet, subtle rye on the palate.
You can check here to see if there are any bottles available in your area.
New Riff Single Barrel Rye
Barrel #14890 - 111.5 Proof (55.75% Alcohol) - The heavy scent of charred oak mingles with the bright zest of tangerine while a spicy kick of pepper and a sweet surprise of raspberry play on the palate.
Barrel #17549 - 113.0 Proof (56.5% Alcohol) - Sweet, luxurious honeycomb is accented with dark stone fruits, followed by spicy nougat and warm cinnamon on the palate.
Barrel #18025 - 108.8 Proof (54.5% Alcohol) - The wafting aroma of blooming flowers and subtle sandalwood unfolds to bold notes of licorice, the sweet embrace of cherry, and a lingering presence of oak.
You can check here to see if there are any bottles available in your area.
My Take
This seems like a decent drop by The State... I wish there was an age statement associated with the bottles. Without that, $50-60 seems ok for a single barrel and I really like the look of the New Riff bottles.
What do you think? Drop a note in the comments below.
New Riff has been a brand that many whiskey enthusiasts have followed for many years. I was excited to have Jay Erisman on the show, once again, to talk about his vision for New Riff. Jay came into the industry with no production experience but learned the ropes quickly. Under the guise of Ken Lewis, New Riff put a focus on unique grain experimentation over finishes. Over time, that itch for curiosity has built famous releases based on heirloom grains and a brand new vision for single malt. Through collaborations with farmers and consumers, New Riff has charted its own adventure in the spirits world
Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about nosing high proof spirits.
Can you tell everyone again about how you got started at The Party Source and New Riff?
Do you remember doing private Van Winkle picks?
How did Ken Lewis impact today’s retail of beverage alcohol?
How did you get smart real quick on running a distillery with no background?
What brands inspired you to figure out what your whiskey was going to be?
Did you make a bet on grain experimentation vs finishes?
Have your batches been all luck or have there been some duds?
Does New Riff have a higher educated consumer fanbase?
Did you all try to embrace the single barrel fad?
What’s the thought process behind the single malt project?
Did you learn anything from the Kentucky regimine of heirloom varieties?
Whiskey fans across the Tri-State attended the second-annual John G. Carlisle Bottled-in-Bond (BIB) Competition and Celebration Friday, March 3, at Smoke Justis in Covington, KY. For its second year, attendees once again crowned New Riff Distilling as the winner of its blind tasting event, which was held from 6-8 p.m. Friday, March 3. The two […]
Whiskey fans across the Tri-State attended the second-annual John G. Carlisle Bottled-in-Bond (BIB) Competition and Celebration Friday, March 3, at Smoke Justis in Covington, KY.
For its second year, attendees once again crowned New Riff Distilling as the winner of its blind tasting event, which was held from 6-8 p.m. Friday, March 3. The two other finalists being Early Times BiB and Henry McKenna 10 Year BiB.
During the event, meetNKY and The B-Line®, in conjunction with Smoke Justis, led guests in a guided blind-pour tasting of three of the best BIB whiskey varietals in the country. Members of The B-Line® nominated the three whiskeys for the tastings (New Riff’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Early Time’s Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon and Henry McKenna’s 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon), which patrons then cast votes for the best Bottled-In-Bond whiskey. Guests also sampled specially crafted charcuterie boards to complement each flavor profile.
Photo: Ben Gastright
“We are so honored to have been named as one of the best bonded whiskies two years in a row by those who know and love them,” said Mac Harris, New Riff distiller. “It’s always fun to be able to gather with friends and whiskey enthusiasts in a shared setting to celebrate the industry and the role our region continues to play in creating world-class spirits.”
New Riff also received the John G. Carlisle Award in 2022 at the inaugural Bottled-in-Bond event, which celebrated the 125th anniversary of the passage of the Bottled In Bond Act on March 3, 1897.
“This event is such a fun way to celebrate Covington’s strong historical ties as a leader in setting high standards for the whiskey industry,” said president and CEO of meetNKY, Julie Kirkpatrick. “We enjoyed being back at Smoke Justis to celebrate one of Kentucky’s signature industries. Congratulations to New Riff for taking home the John G. Carlisle Award for the second year in a row for their unique flavor profile and all-around stellar spirit.”
NKY CVB President, Julie Kirkpatrick. Photo Ben Gastright
The 2023 BIB celebration kicked off with socializing in the bourbon bar at Smoke Justis, followed by welcome remarks and a short education on BIB and Covingtonian John G. Carlisle’s role in passing the Federal legislation.
Before Congressman Carlisle championed the passage of the BIB Act in 1897, much of the whiskey produced nationwide often included harmful additives like iodine, tobacco and even paint thinner. As a result of the Act, participating BIB distillers must put their products into federally bonded warehouses for at least four years and bottle at 100 proof (50% alcohol by volume). Additionally, owners must stipulate on the labels of their bottles where the whiskey is distilled and where it was bottled, if not at the same location where it’s distilled.
Welcome to the Columbus Bourbon review for New Riff Bourbon (Bottle in Bond). This is my first time trying anything from New Riff so excited to give it a review. Let’s get started with the basics.Manufacturer: New Riff DistillingAge: At …
Welcome to the Columbus Bourbon review for New Riff Bourbon (Bottle in Bond). This is my first time trying anything from New Riff so excited to give it a review.
Nose: Butterscotch rounding into fresh oak, with hints of vanilla and rye spice.
Taste: Broad, fulsome mouthfeel, leading to a sweeter vanilla accent, before a gathering of rye spices (clove, cinnamon, mint, dark berry) into the finish.
Finish: Long, rye-led finish, with brambly red-black fruits amid white pepper and clove.
The bottle is very sharp and the color is nice in the glass. My only complaint about the bottle is that it's really tall and may not fit in all liquor cabinets. I do like the etching and the frosted class. The color of the bourbon is in line with what I would expect. A nice dark amber color.
This product is fairly easy to track down. As seen on the maps below, most stores are well stocked with the New Riff Bourbon. There are a few that are sold out, but not many.
The $39.99 question... should you buy this if you find it? This is a solid bourbon from one of the newer distilleries (established in 2014). This is my first time trying New Riff and I wasn't disappointed. The taste was a bit tart, but it was still an enjoyable bottle. This is a great bourbon to bring to a party or gathering and would look great displayed on a bar. I'm looking forward to trying additional products from New Riff in the future.
Final Score: 75 out of 100 - Solid
What do you think? Let me know in the comments.
Note: This review was done by Mark with help from Jonny and The Duchess. The bottle was bought in Ohio at retail price.
We all love a good party, right? Even better, a good block party, right? Even better, a good block party that boasts a CHOCOLATE PRETZEL BOURBON BALL IMPERIAL STOUT, right?!! Now this sounds like our kind of gathering, and it’s all going down this Friday and Saturday (Dec 2nd – 3rd) in Northern Kentucky’s river […]
We all love a good party, right? Even better, a good block party, right? Even better, a good block party that boasts a CHOCOLATE PRETZEL BOURBON BALL IMPERIAL STOUT, right?!! Now this sounds like our kind of gathering, and it’s all going down this Friday and Saturday (Dec 2nd – 3rd) in Northern Kentucky’s river city of Covington.
meetNKY (the Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau) and The B-Line® (a collection of Bourbon Trail distilleries and bourbon forward bars and restaurants in Northern Kentucky) have partnered with Braxton Brewing Co. for the brewery’s famous Dark Charge event. The winter block party takes place from 3 – 11 p.m. Friday, December 2 and 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Saturday, December 3.
The organizations have partnered on a limited-edition Dark Charge variant, Chocolate Pretzel Bourbon Ball Imperial Stout, which is ONLY AVAILABLE for purchase onsite during the now two-day event. Bourbon aficionados and beer enthusiasts alike can enjoy this rich, imperial stout, aged in bourbon barrels from three distillers along The B-Line® – Old Pogue Distillery, New Riff Distilling and Boone County Distillery – finished off with hints of cacao nibs and pretzels.
“This year’s Dark Charge event is a full-on, two-day collision of beer and bourbon,” said co-founder and CEO of Braxton, Jake Rouse. “There’s no surprise that the crossover between bourbon and craft beer is a quickly emerging trend, so when we approached our annual Bourbon Barrel Aged beer release Dark Charge we knew we wanted to play into this crossover. Additionally, partnering with meetNKY and The B-Line® on this event allows us to fully showcase all that our region has to offer on a national level.”
Attendees
will also be able to enjoy the new B-Line® Lounge in the brewery’s
loft space during the event. All three distillers will have booths in the
lounge where they’ll be pulling bourbon tastings from the barrel and serving
them alongside another holiday staple – bourbon balls.
“Nothing speaks to the uniqueness of our region like a fusion of bourbon and beer,” said Jay Erisman, co-founder of New Riff Distilling. “We’re excited to partner with Braxton on this limited-edition B-Line® brew and to tap into the beer enthusiasts who are curious to learn more about bourbon.”
2022 Dark Charge Variants
In
2022, Braxton plans to release seven variants of its beloved Dark Charge
Imperial Stout. So far, the brewery has announced and released for sale:
Dark Charge Imperial Stout – The original bourbon barrel aged imperial stout, serves as the base for the other variants with an 12.6% ABV.
Dark Charge Triple Vanilla Stout – This variant, selected by the Braxton Builders, features Madagascar bourbon, with Tahitian and Indonesian vanilla with an 12.7% ABV.
Dark Charge Maple Pecan – This variant features warm, nutty hints of maple syrup and roasted Georgia pecans with an 13.1% ABV.
Dark Charge Cinnamon Whiskey – Nothing says Happy Holidays like cinnamon whiskey. This double barrel aged in Wild Turkey and cinnamon whiskey barrels, imperial stout has an inviting flavor reminiscent with tastes of the holidays and an 12.9% ABV.
Dark Charge Chocolate Pretzel Bourbon Ball Imperial Stout – Only available for sale at the event, this bourbon centric brew was aged in bourbon barrels from three distillers across The B-Line® and finished off with hints of cocoa nibs and pretzels with an 13.3% ABV.
Braxton Brewing special release
Entertainment Lineup
To
celebrate this year’s Dark Charge Winter Block Party expanding into a two-day
event, Braxton is going bigger than ever with music and entertainment, pulling
both local and nationally touring music artists. Open format DJ, DJ JAY KAY,
will be playing on the main stage in a special all-day set, establishing a
groove throughout Dark Charge Day. Additional acts include:
Friday,
December 2
From 6 – 8 p.m., another well-known “progressive auditory
ensemble” will take the stage. The final musical act will be announced on
November 23.
From 9 – 11 p.m. nationally acclaimed MAGIC
GIANT will
take the main stage. The band has amassed over 60M streams and was named one of
the “10 Artists You Need to Know” by Rolling Stone. In addition, MAGIC GIANT
has played festivals such as Coachella, Firefly, BottleRock, Electric Forest
and Lightning in a Bottle. Having shared the stage with the likes of Foster the
People, The Lumineers, Vance Joy and Mumford & Sons, MAGIC GIANT has shown
they are an alt powerhouse.
Saturday,
December 3
From 3 – 5 p.m. Jake Speed & The Freddies will play a mix of
traditional and original folk, country blues, and ragtime tunes that muse on
Cincinnati’s unique past and present.
From 6 – 8 p.m. The
Hot Magnolias,
Cincinnati’s finest Creole/Cajun shake yo’ tail feather, wave your hanky New
Orleans musical act, will take the stage.
Finally, from 9 – 11 p.m. Juice, a band from Boston
blending rock, pop, R&B, and hip-hop will get crowds dancing with the
diversity of their signature sound.
While
the event is free to attend, two VIP experience options are available for
purchase in various packages. The Dark Charge VIP Tickets are available as
single day passes or two-day passes ranging from $90 to $175. Dark Charge
Winter Block Party Igloobar Experiences are also available for private parties
of up to eight ranging from $600 – $1,200. For more information on these
packages and general information and updates on the event, visit https://www.darkchargeday.com/.
“This event is a true celebration of all things Northern Kentucky,” said meetNKY President and CEO, Julie Kirkpatrick. “It’s been incredible to see how this winter block party has evolved over the years. We can’t wait to welcome music, bourbon and beer fans from across the country for this exciting two-day event in the Commonwealth and show off some of the southern hospitality we’re known for.”
For
more information on The B-Line® visit thebline.com. To learn more about
meetNKY visit meetnky.com/.
The Ohio Division of Liquor Control (OHLQ) has announced the release of eight barrels of single barrel selection of New Riff Rye and Bourbon appearing in stores this week (week of October 17) for $52.99 + tax for the bourbon and $57.99 + tax for the ry…
The Ohio Division of Liquor Control (OHLQ) has announced the release of eight barrels of single barrel selection of New Riff Rye and Bourbon appearing in stores this week (week of October 17) for $52.99 + tax for the bourbon and $57.99 + tax for the rye.
The eight barrels were selected by New Riff and the OHLQ Team exclusively for Ohio.
Since these are single barrels, each barrel should be slightly different. The tasting notes and age statements for each barrel is:
Rye (2 barrels)
Barrel #9337 - Aged 4 years, 5 months A baker’s dream aroma of cereal and rye bread with notes of cinnamon invites a fruity profile of peaches and black pepper that finishes strongly at the back of the palate with plenty of bold spice.
Barrel #10733 - Aged 4 years, 3 months Cinnamon, butterscotch, and allspice create a balanced aroma that opens to an oaky, fruity flavor with notes of pear and vanilla. A front-of-palate sweetness transitions to the back of the palate with delightful rye spice.
Bourbon (6 barrels)
Barrel #8200 - Aged 4 years, 6 months Aromas of light orchard fruit, lemon meringue, nutmeg, and hints of butterscotch introduce satisfying stone fruit and black tea flavors that lead to sweetness at the front of the palate, and a lingering finish of fresh oak and light smoke.
Barrel #8546 - Aged 4 years, 6 months The sweet aroma of maple and cinnamon opens up to boldly spicy notes of black pepper and orange, and finishes with bready flavors at the front of the palate.
Barrel #9431 - Aged 4 years, 4 months Hints of molasses and dark fruit create a smooth aroma that develops to a cinnamon, spearmint flavor; a leather and white pepper finish lands at the mid-to-back palate.
Barrel #10150 - Aged 4 years, 3 months A bold aroma of baking spices and black tea welcomes a sweet pecan and clove flavor that blossoms to a smooth cinnamon finish and lingers at the mid palate.
Barrel #10205 - Aged 4 years, 3 months With a caramel aroma enlivened by notes of fresh plum, the flavor of rye spice and hints of cinnamon lead to a dry, warming, lasting finish.
Barrel #10959 - Aged 4 years, 2 months A sweet honey and toffee aroma opens a rye-accented flavor profile, nuanced with notes of muddled mint, clove, and stone fruit. A bold finish of cracked black peppercorn lands at mid-to-back palate.
You can use the links below try to track down a bottle:
New Riff is actually the next review I'll be doing for the site so this release is timely in that regard. The price is solid for a single barrel selection and it comes with an age statement. I love the New Riff bottles as they look distinguished and great on the shelf. For those reasons, if you see this out and about, you should not think twice about grabbing a bottle immediately.
What are your thoughts? Drop a note in the comments below.
Life is full of surprises. Cliché? Sure. But, true. I awoke at 4:00 AM excited for my Tuesday morning flight to Kentucky. As I hastily snoozed my alarm, I noticed my flight had been delayed by two hours. No worries. A quick rebook via Delta’s app and d…
Life is full of surprises. Cliché? Sure. But, true. I awoke at 4:00 AM excited for my Tuesday morning flight to Kentucky. As I hastily snoozed my alarm, I noticed my flight had been delayed by two hours. No worries. A quick rebook via Delta’s app and done. Extra Zs, and I gladly took them. […]
This is a bourbon I am reviewing as part of the /r/bourbon community review series. While I am moderator of that forum, I did not participate in the selection of this single barrel.Things sure have changed a lot in the last ten years of American whiske…
This is a bourbon I am reviewing as part of the /r/bourbon community review series. While I am moderator of that forum, I did not participate in the selection of this single barrel.
Things sure have changed a lot in the last ten years of American whiskey. I remember a time not too long ago when enthusiasts were all joking we would be seeing tons of shuttered "distilleries" once the craft whiskey glut hit. Yet here we are in 2020 where I go into my local and I don't even know what half the shit on the bourbon shelf is. While I am sure some of these upstart "distilleries" are putting out decent stuff, a lot new products are just bad.
Despite the abundance of crap craft whiskey out there today, one new distiller that has been garnering a better reputation is New Riff out of Newport Kentucky. They hit the ground running with their sourced OKI products and that reputation carried over into their own products which starting coming out at the barely no age statement mark (four years old) last year. Having experienced a lot of hype in previous non distiller producers that never translated into produced product (I'm looking at you, Smooth Ambler), I was cautiously optimistic.
Nose:Nice, classic, young to middle aged bourbon scents: caramel, vanilla, toasted marshmallow, and light fruits such as pears. In a way the nose reminds me of EHT Taylor Small Batch.
Taste:More of the same from the nose with more wood influence plus some honey and slight rye spice bite in the finish. There is a considerable amount of wood depth for this being only a few days over four years old. Also notable is the lack of overbearing grainy new make notes that you usually find in bourbons this age. It's surprisingly robust and drinks older than it should. Heat is well balanced for the proof and the mouthfeel is as thick or slightly thicker than you'd expect for a 111 proof bourbon.
Thoughts:This was my first experience with New Riff and I'm really impressed. Granted, this is a single barrel so quality may vary but this is one of the better / best four year old bourbons I've had in a long time. The ceiling is only so high for a whiskey of these stats and it's ultimately limited by the age but all in all I've had older, more expensive bourbons from well established distilleries that were not as good as this.
Rating: B- (82/100)
Note that price is not considered when assigning a rating.
