Tastes

Nose: Along with the typical bourbon notes, quite a bit of cinnamon owing to that high rye mashbill. Bright nose, almost floral or citric in a sense. Palate: A lot of baking spices on the palate but not a crazy kick. A buttery cinnamon flavor with the most delightful velvety mouthfeel. Finish: Long finish, pepper that lingers. Overall: Generally speaking, I'm not a huge fan of high rye bourbons. New Riff, however, is impossible not to like. Those baking spice notes aren't overplayed and that mouthfeel is to die for. A solid 3.8/5.0 in my book, and easily will be higher for anyone who likes a bit of rye.

Nose: Banana bread, nutty, and vanilla. Palate: The banana bread on the nose transfers to the palate, topped with honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon. That little spice doesn't necessarily bring a burn though. Finish: Short and sweet finish. Relatively smooth. Subtle pepper but not much and fades quickly. Overall: A really solid dram for what it's worth. Drank this side-by-side with Weller Special Reserve and found this had a little more complexity/flavor to it in comparison. Easily somewhere in the 3.55-3.60/5.0 range.

Nose: Very sweet vanilla nose. Subtle orange/citric note hiding with some light oak in the background. Palate: That sweet vanilla is the main show - a burst of vanilla in the mouth. Not much more beyond that. A smooth and round mouthfeel. Very little spice. Finish: Very short and sweet finish. Vanilla rapidly fades and invites another sip. Overall: If you can get this at MSRP, certainly go for it. What it does, it does well. However, beyond smooth vanilla it doesn’t do much else. A solid 3.5/5.0.

Nose: Light and crisp nose. Cinnamon and green apples with a touch of vanilla in the back. Palate: Very sweet and fruity profile encapsulated by baking spices + cinnamon. Finish: Lingering oak and spices. Long peppery notes. Overall: A very nice bourbon, especially for the price. The nose and taste are fantastic, delivering a very sweet and fresh fruity flavor. While the spices round out the palate nicely, they hang around a bit too long for my liking. Ultimately, if I could refine my rating - 3.65/5.0

Nose: Very oaky nose complimented by woody vanilla undertones. Palate: The high rye in the mash bill really makes itself known, with the predominant notes coming through being baking spices. Subtle cherry notes linger with oak in the back. Finish: Medium-bodied smooth mouth feel upfront. A little kick of heat on the back-end. Overall, a fairly decent easy drink. While the spice is a bit overbearing, the mouth feel is absolutely delightful. If I could fine tune my rating, it'd be a solid 3.4/5.0.

Nose: Creamy, chocolate, and vanilla. Very dessert/pudding-like nose; delicious. Palate: Vanilla shines through with caramel undertones accompanied with cinnamon and spice. Oh so smooth and creamy. Finish: Short, spicy, and oaky.

Spicy nose that follows through on the palette. Immediately hit with that cinnamon and spice, but it’s very rounded and smooth. Can definitely taste the rye with very cereal backing notes. Good sipping but even better in Old Fashioneds.

Caramel hints on the nose; sweet and rounded, with slight pleasant cinnamon and spice making itself known in the back. Bringing memories of autumn and candy apples. On taste, an initial soft sweetness is joined in the forefront by a marriage of that spice and tobacco. Smokey and peppery aftertaste lingers. Overall, certainly a pleasant drink.

Floral nose, very light and crisp. Smells of pear cider or white wine. A little of that vanilla sitting quietly in the background. Light malty taste accompanied by a little spice. A bit of a wheaty aftertaste, reminiscent of oats. However, doesn't stick around too long after the fact. Overall, goes down very smoothly. Easy light drinking.

Very sweet, both on the nose and in taste. A lot of sugar and caramel coming through, hints of vanilla. Nutty and a little bitter on the aftertaste. Overall, very easy drinking for someone new to whiskey.