New Riff Rye is the bottle we hand to anyone who thinks they do not like rye, and to everyone who already loves it. This is New Riff Distilling’s bottled-in-bond Kentucky straight rye, built on a near-all-rye mash and bottled without chill filtration. It is bold, spicy, and full of character, and it has earned a steady spot on our shelf here in West Seattle for its sheer expressiveness in both glass and cocktail.
About the Distillery
New Riff Distilling is based in Newport, Kentucky, across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. Founded in 2014, the independent distillery committed from day one to a full sour-mash Kentucky regimen, age statements on every label, and bottled-in-bond standards as the house default. That uncompromising approach is exactly what made New Riff a darling of the modern American whiskey scene.
Style & Mash Bill
This is a Kentucky straight rye whiskey with a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted rye, putting it firmly in the bold, spice-forward camp. As a bottled-in-bond whiskey, it is the product of one distillery and one season, aged at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse, and bottled at exactly 100 proof, without chill filtration to preserve its full body.
Tasting Notes
This is a hugely spicy rye. Expect cracked black pepper, baking spice, mint, and dill up front, with caramel, oak, and a little orchard fruit underneath. At 100 proof it is full-bodied and assertive, with a long, peppery, herbaceous finish. It is rye in its most expressive form.
How to Enjoy It at Camp West
Our pour is $13. It is wonderful neat or over a single large rock if you want to meet that rye spice head-on, but it really sings in a cocktail: a classic Manhattan, a Sazerac, or a rye Old Fashioned all come alive with it. Ask your bartender for a recommendation.
FAQ
How much rye is in the mash? 95% rye with 5% malted rye, so it is intensely spice-forward.
Is it bottled-in-bond? Yes. It is the product of one distillery and one season, aged at least four years in a bonded warehouse, and bottled at 100 proof without chill filtration.
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