Description

New Riff Distilling 8 Year Rye Whiskey

Brand Story
New Riff Distilling Story highlights New Riff’s origins and mission as an innovative Kentucky whiskey distillery. Founded in 2014 by Ken Lewis, the brand blends deep respect for traditional Sour Mash Kentucky whiskey with a forward-thinking approach to spirit making. Family owned and independent, New Riff is committed to pursuing quality without compromise — applying classic techniques while pushing the boundaries of flavor and style in Bourbon, Rye, and specialty whiskeys.

Company Values
New Riff Distilling Values articulates the company’s core principles of independence, quality and culture. New Riff emphasizes being stubbornly independent — free from outside investors and short-term pressures — so that high standards can guide every decision. Their team, drawn from diverse backgrounds, shares a passion for crafting exceptional whiskey and fostering a workplace defined by excellence, innovation, and pride in their craft.

Whiskey Making Process
New Riff Distilling Process explains how New Riff produces whiskey the traditional, patient way. They adhere to the Kentucky Regimen with sour mash fermentation, use all-copper stills, and age all whiskeys a minimum of four years in full-size 53-gallon barrels without short-cuts. The process reflects a balance of tradition and innovation: careful fermentation, barrel maturation, and strict quality standards ensure every expression is rich, complex, and true to craft.

Bottled in Bond Without Chill Filtration
Bottled in Bond Explanation describes New Riff’s signature production standard. Every core whiskey meets the prestigious Bottled in Bond criteria — a mark of authenticity and quality originating from the 1897 Bottled in Bond Act — and goes a step further by omitting chill filtration. This approach preserves maximum flavor and natural character in the bottle, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to transparency, tradition, and robust whiskey profiles.

Drawing on our own experience as well as the sour mash traditions of the Kentucky whiskey-making regimen, this rye whiskey is full of character and delivers rich, spicy flavors. The freshness evident here is exception, suggesting a barrel of New Riff Rye at eight years old has a long life of aging ahead of it.

While New Riff is committed to bottled-in-bond standards, we made the difficult decision to waive that status for this release, focusing on a wider distribution network that previous specialty releases. Despite meeting all other requirements of a bonded whiskey, due to the comparatively small production from the earliest years of New Riff, this release blends whiskeys from two distilling seasons aged a minimum of 8 years.

New Riff Distilling 8 Year Rye Whiskey features a medium amber in color with bright golden highlights, this whiskey opens on the nose with rounded aromas of fresh rye grass layered with cinnamon, clove, and ripe red apple. The palate is full and medium-bodied, beginning with a gently drying entry that reveals light oak and a subtle sweeter core before slowly building into vibrant spice. As it develops, juicy notes of spearmint, clove, and apple emerge across the midpalate, complemented by an appealing aged grassy and mineral character. The finish is long and satisfying, leaving lingering impressions of clove, cooling mint, and a touch of peppercorn spice.

New Riff Distilling 8 Year Rye Whiskey Notes To Your Senses:

• APPEARANCE: Medium amber, golden highlights
• AROMA: Rounded and ripe with rye grass, notes of cinnamon, clove, red apple
• TASTE: Fulsome, medium body; drying entry, lightly oaky with a sweeter core; slow development of spicy flavors; juicy, intense midpalate of spearmint/clove/apple, along with a lovely, aged grassy-mineral quality
• FINISH: Long-lasting notes of clove, mint, peppercorn
• ABV: 50%