New Riff Rye takes the popular MGP formula and iterates on it with a bold 100% rye mashbill (95% unmalted and 5% malted). I purchased this bottle shortly after its release in New Hampshire after seeing a lot of praise for a “craft distillery that doesn’t suck”. Let’s see if that’s actually the case.
New Riff Kentucky Straight Rye, 50%
Nose: Mint, cinnamon, classic rye spice, clove, a little ethanol, burnt caramel
Palate: Rye and cinnamon spice, vanilla, more mint, orange peels, black pepper, heat. Maybe a touch hot for its proof but not by much.
Finish: Sweet and fruity, menthol on the tongue, slight bitterness. Overall it’s on the shorter side
Rating: 65/100 – Good | Better than average
Well this certainly doesn’t suck and my bottle went down a lot quicker than most. The distillate is still a bit young and hot but this is a very good rye for its age and price point. New Riff is deserving of the praise it gets. I’m excited to see how it tastes in a few years and I’d love to pick up the single barrel release when it hits New England.
