It was 2018, when I first reviewed a bottle of bourbon out of Kentucky’s New Riff, an upstart distillery perched on the northern border of the state, overlooking the Kentucky River and border with Ohio. Back then, the company’s very existence was more of a novelty–they represented a prominent entry in the burgeoning movement of young Kentucky distilleries with solid financial backing, aiming to break into an old guard group of companies that had been relatively static for decades upon decades. It was notable that they had chosen to do so with a 4 year old, bottled in bond bourbon, showing a patience (and lack of gimmickry) that few other companies were able to match. There were no small barrels here, or tricks used to speed up maturation. It was just a solid foundation of bottled in bond Kentucky bourbon, with the promise that maybe someday it would grow into something really special.
And now, I think it’s safe to say that the promise is being delivered. New Riff’s patience has paid off, and their increasingly mature spirit has come of age in a way that now allows the company to measure up favorably against the biggest names in the industry. This bourbon has come into its own.
The whiskey in question is New Riff’s new 8-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon, a new entry in the company’s core portfolio that doubles the age statement of the original flagship bottled in bond bourbon. Beyond the age statement, these are pretty much the same, both having the same mash bill of 65% corn, 30% rye and 5% malted barley. The one minor difference is that the new 8 Year technically does not qualify for the bottled in bond status New Riff usually uses, not because it’s not old enough or strong enough, but because in order to dip into its oldest barrels New Riff had to use products from two different distilling seasons–which is to say, whiskey separated in age by 6 months or so. Ultimately, it’s bottled in bond in all but name, bottled at the usual 50% ABV (100 proof). Impressively, the company is still able to offer this at an MSRP of $68, which isn’t bad at all for an 8 year old bonded bourbon from a smaller producer, at least in this day and age. It’s available across the distillery’s distribution network, and online directly from the company.
So with that said, let’s get to tasting this new expression.
On the nose, New Riff 8-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon immediately feels like a comforting classic. I’m getting prominent impressions of chocolate-dipped cherry cordials, caramel chews, vanilla, rye spice and nutty cocoa, along with emerging mature elements of old oak. There are traces of musty rickhouse funk that recall some of the other major Kentucky stalwarts, along with a little antique leather and caramel corn, with those caramelize sugars verging toward the slightly burnt nature of creme brulee or flan with vanilla custard. A slight sting of ethanol hints at the proof point.
On the palate, the classic impressions continue with lots of bright cherry, but also more cooked, syrupy, concentrated impressions of decadent dark fruit, swirled with chocolate ganache and brightened by orange zest. There’s solid rye spice and some pepper, along with pipe tobacco. These are supported by deeply caramelized sugars and vanilla buttercream, offering a beautiful encapsulation of so many aspects one expects to find in well-aged Kentucky bourbon. The overall flavor profile here is really leaning in the direction of maturity in a lovely way, with those oaky and savory, earthy dimensions making themselves felt.
What this really amounts to is a belt-high fastball, an outstanding execution of a classic concept. Every box you have for “classic Kentucky bourbon,” it checks, while managing to do so at a price point that still also feels like a damn good value, at least given the way prices are today. It’s a price point that is still low enough that you probably wouldn’t hesitate to use this in an old fashioned, and I think it’s safe to say it would probably be spectacular there.
One has to wonder, where does the company go from here? Will even older Kentucky straight bourbon expressions from New Riff manage to uncover even more greatness in their spirit? Can this bourbon stand up to another two or four years in the oak, or will it begin to unravel? The quality of these results is setting a bar that will be increasingly difficult to surpass, but I’m sure New Riff will still be intent on trying. And I’ll no doubt be intent on tasting.
Distillery: New Riff Distilling Co.
City: Newport, KY
Style: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
ABV: 50% (100 proof)
Availability: 750 ml bottles, $68 MSRP
Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.