When it comes to a bottle of Bourbon, I know what I want:
I want it to taste good, even great if possible
Generally, I like it somewhere between 46% - 54% ABV
I don’t want to pay more than $50
It would be nice if the company that made it is the company I’m buying it from, rather than paying extra for a brokered whiskey
When it comes to New Riff Distillery in Newport, Kentucky (a stone’s throw from downtown Cincinnati), I get exactly what I want from every single bottle of whiskey they make. It’s a big part of what draws me to the brand and makes me such an avid supporter: a complete commitment to pure drinkability. Granted, you could say that most bottles of Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey, Heaven Hill, Jim Beam and Four Roses meet the same qualifications, but the key point for me is this: not all of them do.
What motivates people to spend more than $100 on Bourbon today? It depends on what they want out of the bottle. Some people just want to fit in with the collective mindset of today’s passionate Bourbon aficionados. Others want to appear rich or affect good taste. Some want the affirmation of other hobbyists on social media. Others take comfort in the authority of a big brand name, no different than buying a shirt that says Gucci on it because it says Gucci.
All cynicism aside, New Riff speaks to me as both a whiskey drinker and a marketing professional because, as a company, it almost completely eschews the tenants driving today’s whiskey consumerism. As a brand, it’s forcing customers to make a qualitative evaluation completely on their own, without age statements, high price tags, or the pervasive and often forced collectability that makes consumers foam at the mouth. Almost all of their whiskies are between 4-5 years old, and there’s nothing over $49.99 at Mission.
So how do you know if it’s good? You taste it. That’s it. The rest is up to you.
That’s what Vic and I did last month when we visited New Riff and selected a private barrel for ourselves. If you missed the post from our trip this past August, we selected this cask only six weeks ago and it’s already bottled and in our possession! At four and a half years of age, this little workhorse Bourbon has the most wonderful aromas. I can’t stop nosing and nosing it, over and over again. Sweet caramel, cola, toasted oak, hazelnuts, fruit, baking spices, fresh sawdust, and more are waiting for you each time you bring the glass up to your face.
While the nose is pure elegance, the palate is a punchy little number, bringing the spice at 107 proof and fleshing out the finish with stone fruits and brown sugar galore. It might as well be a white peach dusted with C&H!! It’s like licking the batter as a kid.
New Riff Mission Exclusive Single Barrel #9514 107.3 Proof Cask Strength Kentucky Bourbon $49.99
I can’t promise you’ll like this single barrel of New Riff as much as I do, but I’m fairly confident most Bourbon fans will find something to sing about. Again, however, it depends on what they want out of their bottle. The only thing you can brag about here is the fact that you got a delicious Bourbon for a great price. That’s not always enough for some folks.
We’ve also got new batches of the standard New Riff BIB Bourbon and Rye back in stock, along with new non-exclusive single barrels at various proofs. You can see the full selection here.
-David Driscoll