New Riff Sour Mash Single Malt Whiskey – Fall 2023
Mike Rosen

World

January 29, 2024

In 1996 McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt Whiskey was the first American single malt released in the United States. Today, there are hundreds of distilleries producing an American single malt as this trend gains more popularity among a wide range of whiskey drinkers. Most American single malt producers are small to medium-sized independently owned distilleries, with some purchased by large spirit industry conglomerates. According to singlemaltusa.com, industry analysts predict American single malt sales will increase by 500% over the next five years. To capitalize on this prediction, major bourbon brands have been developing their own ASM, and we are seeing the results of these efforts.

For example, in 2022, Jack Daniel’s released the Twice Barreled Special Release American Single Malt. This release was followed up last September with Jack Daniel’s American Single Malt finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks. Last year, James Beam created Clermont Steep to release their ASM product line, and Bulliet released a single malt this month. On January 11th, Redwood Empire Distilling released its new “small lots series” with two new expressions, one being the Foggy Burl single malt. We may look back at 2024 as the year of the American single malt.

Last year, the American Single Malt Whisky Commission (ASMWC) filed an official proposal to the US Tax and Trade Bureau (TBB) to consider its rules and create a new category of whiskey, which the TTB accepted. The classification is expected to become official this year. The proposed TBB rules to solidify a legal standard between brands for American single malt whiskey are:

• Distilled from 100% malted barley.
• Distilled entirely at one distillery.
• Mashed, distilled, and matured in the U.S.
• Matured in oak casks no larger than 700 liters.
• Distilled to no more than 160 proof.
• Bottled at least 80 proof.

In 2014, New Riff began distilling batches of single malt whiskey with plans to begin releasing them annually in 2023. A New Riff press release said, “The 2023 release of New Riff Sour Mash Single Malt Whiskey comprises whiskey made to five of the six recipes it has so far trialed, distilled from 2014–2016. The six mash bills created so far use a range of malted barleys and a variety of cask types which are vatted together before bottling. They include four whiskeys made with 100 per cent barley varietals – Golden Promise, Maris Otter, Chevallier heirloom barley, and Scottish peated barley malt – and two beer-inspired mash bills based on barleywine and Belgian quadrupel recipes. Maturation casks used include new charred oak, de-charred toasted oak, red wine, Portuguese brandy, and sherry-seasoned oak”.

Each New Riff annual release of the Sour Mash Single Malt shows a “lot code” on the front label with the season and year of vatting. This release is Fall 2023 vatting with lot code 23.05.11.06. The first two digits are the year, the second pair indicates how many mash bills are in the blend, the third pair is how many individual malted barleys were involved in all the mash bills combined, and the final two digits are the number of discrete cask types in the aging. Let’s get started.

Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass, rested for about 15 minutes.

Distillery: New Riff Distillery.

Proof: 113.8. Cask strength, non-chill filtered.

Age: At least 7 years. Fall 2023 vatting, lot code: 23.05.11.06.

Casks used: New charred oak, de-charred toasted oak, red wine, Portuguese brandy, and sherry-seasoned oak.

Mash bill: 100% Malted Barley.
Golden Promise, a classic Scotch whisky malt.
Maris Otter, a classic British ale malt.
Chevallier Heirloom malted barley, an 1820s-vintage English variety.
Scottish peated barley malt, heavily smoked and pungent.
Barleywine-style, after high gravity, heavy bodied barleywine ales.
Belgian quadrupel-style, in the fashion of rich, mellow Trappist ales.

MSRP: $69.99.

Appearance: Reddish caramel.

Nose

Caramel, toffee, cocoa, malt, peat smoke, red raspberries, cherries, peaches. More nosing brings out nutmeg, herbal flavors of cloves, floral notes of dried flowers, subtle sulfur, walnuts, and toasted oak. There is just a hint of allspice with no heat. This nose is complex and gets sweeter as the session continues with honey, more flavors of toffee, cherry, berries, and orange zest.

Palate

With a mouthfeel that’s creamy and viscous, there is caramel, toffee, malt, toasted oak, gentle peat smoke, and chocolate, with peaches and red berries. A moderate amount of white pepper spice enters mid-sip with cloves. The palate isn’t quite as complex as the nose, but it delivers a delicious blend of well-balanced flavors and drinks under its proof.

Finish

White pepper spice sticks to the palate with toffee, cocoa, cloves, subtle peat, and wood smoke. The finish continues with oak, malt, cocoa, and cherries that come back around until the end of this medium-long finish.

Conclusion

Some ASMs have a very bold, malty profile and use a significant amount of peated malt that can be divisive among bourbon drinkers. The malt and peated flavors in this New Riff release are moderate, with a delicious profile that leans on the sweet side with a healthy dose of berries, chocolate, and sweet caramel that reminds me of New Riff bourbon. I happen to love bold and peaty ASMs, but I also love what New Riff has done with this release to more than split the difference. But for some bourbon drinkers, even a subtle peat flavor can be a deal breaker. The New Riff website suggests you “add a splash of water to this unfiltered malt whiskey.” This suggestion was to bring out flavors that I already noticed without water added and didn’t find that adding water made an improvement to the profile.

I’ve tried many whiskeys from New Riff and have never been disappointed. That record stands because New Riff Sour Mash Single Malt is an impressive release I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. What’s also impressive is it carries a 7-year age statement at 113.8 cask strength for $70 retail. This is the highest age statement of any New Riff I’ve had. Instead of an annual release, I’d like to see New Riff add a single malt like this to their permanent product line. I highly recommend New Riff Sour Mash Single Malt if you enjoy American single malts or as a mildly peated gateway whiskey.

Rating: 7.8/10.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.

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