New Riff 4 Year Single Barrel Rye

Warm vanilla and spice , winner head to head with sazerac and even Jefferson cognac cask

Binny's pick; Strong and smooth rye; narrow pallete; great for an OF 10/29/20

#17-0087 52.6% Menthol and eucalyptus carry it. Water brings out an herbal green tea. Some grain spice. There is a hint of caramel. Decent body and finish.

Barrel No. 17-1218. 105.9 proof / 52.95 % ABV. Distilled Spring 2017. Bottled Spring 2021. N: Caramel, rye grain, soapy coriander. Mint and lavender. Fresh cut hardwood. Cereal grains. Milk chocolate and honey. Leftover milk after a bowl of Fruity Pebbles or Fruit Loops (sweet lactose sugar + vague artificial fruitiness). Shaving cream. Earthy rye notes. Marble birthday cake with vanilla frosting. Sugary, syrupy, cooked peaches in cream. The peaches might have even spent a few minutes on a charcoal grill. Peanut butter cookies. Mild ethanol hit that I actually quite like in this. P: Rich caramel, spicy rye grain, mint. Vanilla frosting. Vanilla custard. Big hit of oak that suggests this should have some substantial bitterness from the tannins - it never arrives, and is not really missed. Cereal grains, more oak, and hot cinnamon. That creaminess from the nose translates nicely - as above, with the frosting and custard - and layers on a smooth vanilla that's like a big, comforting hug for your tongue (rich, oily, heavy body). Finish brings peanut, maybe some almond, and a hint of milk chocolate. Deep red fruit dripping in the corners once you hit a second pour. Tannins finally, just barely, start adding some bitterness, which, by now, is just a nice contrast to the sweet and the heat. Heat is a hot cinnamon that starts almost immediately, but really comes into its own in the finish - a mouthcoating lingering burn that's just assertive enough and also happens to be mingled with dark chocolate and some light roast coffee notes. This bottle broke rye whiskey for me. Best rye I've ever had by a long shot. Better than I would have expected a rye could be. Contender for best bottle I've ever had, period. I can't think of anything I would want to change about it. Bottles like this are why I drink whiskey. At $50, value = GTFO. I've had bottles at 2x or 3x price that don't match this. Hell, MOST 2x and 3x priced bottles don't match this. It was the last one on the shelf when I bought it* and I have to consider my timing fairly lucky - that shelf was empty for a reason. I will certainly be looking for more of this, and more New Riff in general, and hoping this barrel was not a one-off. * This, btw, has been a winning strategy in whiskey buying for me: if it's the last one, buy it because it's probably good. Edit: After reading a few other reviews, which I did not do before writing my own, it seems I may have gotten the best barrel they've ever produced. C'est la vie. I will still try more New Riff after this to confirm.