Newport, KY (Oct. 17, 2023) - New Riff has announced the dual release of two 8-year-old whiskeys, the oldest released by the distillery to date. These older expressions of both their award-winning 100% Malted Rye and an inspired Wheated Bourbon join the distillery’s “High Note” limited edition lineup this fall and will be available later this month predominately through New Riff's Whiskey Club and across the bar at the newly renovated Aquifer Tasting Bar opening soon. Limited quantities will be available for distribution in Kentucky. For more information or to sign up for the Whiskey Club, visit www.newriffdistilling.com.  

Bottled straight from the barrel at 117.9 proof without chill filtration, the Bohemian Wheat Bourbon concept was constructed from the distiller team’s inspiration found in some of their favorite classic wheat beers, resulting in the creation of a Bavarian Dunkelweizen-style bourbon mashbill comprised of three different wheats — from which an unusual two-grain bourbon and a new riff on a beloved Kentucky bourbon tradition were born.

“It really is a quite unique wheated bourbon, inclusive of malted wheat, not just raw wheat as from other producers — with a high amount of wheat in the mash, and no malted barley,” said co-founder Jay Erisman. “It’s safe to say there’s never been anything like it in Kentucky.”

Made with 65% non-GMO corn, 18% Bohemian floor-malted wheat, 10% unmalted wheat and 7% dark wheat, the Bohemian Wheat Bourbon is the product of several barrels that were held back for further aging from the distillery’s initial release of this recipe under the “Maltster” label. A rare example of a two-grain whiskey comprised of only corn and wheat, this release’s “high wheat” recipe follows the standard Kentucky sour mash regimen while also incorporating an additional unique step to the standard process of boiling the unmalted small grains with the corn.

Bottled straight from the barrel without chill filtration and made with 100% malted rye, The Malted Rye 8-Year-Old is a rare standout, also the result of several barrels being held back for further aging from the distillery’s very first year of malted rye production.

“One of the first expressions of older New Riff whiskey, and perhaps, the oldest Kentucky malted rye ever bottled, it bears the unmistakable savor of a fully matured whiskey, crossed with the delicate spice of malted rye,” Erisman said. “100% malted rye whiskeys are still a rare thing in Kentucky and in American whiskey, more generally. At a full 8 years of age and barrel proof, it really is a one-of-a-kind dram.”

The New Riff High Note Series was created to provide a home for limited production runs, one-off creations, unique barrels and other surprises. Both whiskeys are aged 8 years and bottled at cask strength without chill filtration with a suggested retail price of $69.99.  

New Riff (Newport, KY): ‍
New Riff is an independently-owned distillery in Northern Kentucky — the gateway to bourbon country. In 2014, founder Ken Lewis, a visionary Kentucky liquor retailer and entrepreneur, saw a need for a new riff on an old tradition when it came to Kentucky bourbon. The Newport, Ky., distillery produces bourbon, rye and Kentucky Wild Gin. Bourbon and rye are made with traditional sour mash methods and bottled-in-bond without chill filtration. Bourbon and rye are also available in single barrel selections, and the distillery boasts a popular private barrel selection program. New Riff sources its water from an aquifer under the distillery, accessed via a 100’ deep private well and providing water with four times as much dissolved minerals than found in other water supplies. New Riff believes in transparency, so all products feature an age statement and the mashbills are public. The modern venue hosts a variety of events and offers an on-site bar, The Aquifer.