Based in Newport, Kentucky — just a stone’s throw from the Ohio River, and right across from Cincinnati — New Riff has never been averse to playing with mash bills and grain types. Its latest special release whiskey honors that ethos, delivering a wheated bourbon from a notably uncommon recipe:
- 65% corn
- 18% floor-malted wheat
- 10% unmalted wheat
- 7% dark wheat
According to a distillery representative, that grain bill takes inspiration from beer and allowed production staff to flex their deep brewing experience. New Riff is no stranger to beer-inspired whiskeys, also exemplified by a relatively recent “Duet” collab with Rhinegeist Brewery.
This new wheated bourbon was made from the aforementioned mash bill, then aged for six years. It’s presented as a bottled-in-bond product and — as with virtually all New Riff whiskeys — is presented without chill filtration. But getting your hands on a bottle may require jumping through a few minor hoops. This bottling is the newest product exclusive to New Riff’s Whiskey Club. It’s free to join, though releases are available for distillery pickup only.
Let’s see how it tastes.
New Riff Wheated Bourbon 6 Years Old Review
The nose starts off with ample candied fruit, specifically lemon drops and watermelon Jolly Rancher. At first, it’s bright and slightly tart, though aromas get richer, sweeter, oakier, and more grain-forward with a bit more time in the glass. (Yes, it evolves quite a bit!) Malt syrup and saltwater taffy are up next, followed by Weetabix cereal, which together bring a lightly sweet grain quality where the wheat really punches through in several forms. Those early fruit candy notes are almost gone after a few minutes, replaced (it seems) by lemongrass. Cocoa powder and cinnamon round out a nose that feels adjacent to New Riff’s classic bourbon profile with a touch more grain.
Even for a standard bottled-in-bond, this hits first as an easy sipper, drinking noticeably below proof. That’s not necessarily a knock against. Indeed, that first taste is lovely, like a fusion of those lemon drops and the milk leftover from a bowl of Cracklin’ Oat Bran. Toasted grain and more sweet citrus accumulate toward the midpalate, like charred sourdough bread topped with orange marmalade or apricot jam. It’s a pleasant combo at this point, though a somewhat thin mouthfeel allows the fruit to die back early while bread remains, contributing to a nearly charred character. Flavors continue on their gradually more tannic route, and for six years old, the back palate becomes fairly heavy on leather. The finish layers on most zested citrus, cereal grain, and oak with a smaller thread of lingering sweet breakfast cereal.
100 proof.
B+ / $60
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