New Riff Sherry Finished Malted Rye Whiskey Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B

Out this month is a new offering from Newport’s New Riff Distillery, part of the Northern Kentucky enclave of distilleries. This story starts when New Riff began mashing and distilling a 100% malted rye in 2014. The first batch of this was released a year ago, which was also when the idea for this expression came into being. New Riff’s co-founder Jay Erisman struck upon the notion that so many malt whiskeys are finished in Sherry casks, so why not his malted rye?

New Riff acquired 12 Oloroso and three Pedro Ximenez 53 gallon barrels for this purpose, which is unusual because Sherry casks are more often 132 gallon butts. After five years of primary maturation, the 100% malted rye received a further year in these Sherry casks. The results were batched, and bottled sans chill filtration and at cask strength (112.7 proof).

The Whiskey
This pour has a mid-amber look. The scent is strikingly musty and spicy, with the spices leading with cinnamon and anise, plus notes of caramel and raisins. The flavor was sweet and spicy, with the sweet side coming on as fruit cocktail and dried figs, and the spicy side running with that cinnamon and anise again. All this was brought together with a wrapping of damp tobacco leaf. The finish ran oaky and spicy.

The Price
Official retail price on this bottle is $65.