New Riff developed their rye whiskey with the help of Larry Ebersold, the former Master Distiller at Seagram’s (which became LDI, which became MGP) who created the now famous Indiana rye with a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley.  The craft Kentucky distillery has put their own spin on that famous rye by substituting the malted barley for malted rye; the whiskey is aged at least four years and bottled without chill filtration at 100 proof.  Black pepper leads off a spicy nose which also shows scents of mint, clove, and citrus.  The palate opens surprisingly sweet with a burst of vanilla, cinnamon sugar, and toffee before rye spice, pepper, and oak take over.  The rye spice remains throughout the finish with hints of brown sugar and vanilla adding some complexity.

New Riff is located in Newport, Kentucky, just across the Ohio river from Cincinnati.  The distillery was founded in 2014 by Ken Lewis and Jay Erisman, who had previously worked together at the Party Source liquor store (Lewis was the owner and Erisman the Fine Spirits Director).  Still independently owned and operated, New Riff’s commitment to quality means that all of their whiskies meet the standards of the Bottled-in-Bond Act and are not chill filtered.