New Riff Balboa Rye

This so far has been my favorite expression from New Riff and possibly my favorite rye I tasted in 2021

Big dill note. Spice is there (pumpernickel, sourdough esque) but also a heat which isn't as prominent in other new riff products. Sweetness from malt at the end.

So I took a trip to Newport today and among others things stopped at New Riff hoping to fin some winter whiskey. No luck but the lady in the gift shop suggested I try the Balboa Rye. It's 95%Balboa rye and 5% malted rye. Distilled, aged and bottled in Newport. At least 4 years old This one has a deep amber color. A swirl leaves a thick coat on the glass and legs are slow to form. Oh what a nose! It's lemon dill forward and a light caramel background. I sniffed it for nearly an hour before I tasted it. It does not evolve much but the dill becomes more pronounced and the lemon fades a bit. It's a touch hot as you roll it on the palate and it numbs the roof of my mouth. No doubt it's great for a sore throat. First taste, dill leads the way and there's a nice black pepper finish and boy does it last. A couple sips later and I get caramel and citrus.The peppery back end persists. (Did I mention that fabulous nose). There's a chewy mouth feel and the finish really goes. Love that black pepper. This is a neck pour so it may be different in a couple weeks. When at my son's for Thanksgiving, I found the last two ounces of The Winter Whiskey from last year's bottle. Wow that was fabulous and I expect this one to get better too.