New Riff Distilling has announced the second release of its Sour Mash Single Malt whiskey.
The 2024 version features an exploratory compilation of mashbills.
“This year’s blend has evolved in a way that will still be familiar to fans of last year’s Single Malt, especially in the balance of sherry cask and peaty-smoky flavors, despite changes to the internal blend,” says co-founder and vice president Jay Erisman. “In fact, I believe it’s even more cohesive and well-integrated. I’m truly thrilled with how it has turned out!”
The earliest distillations of this internal project started in the first few months of the distillery’s existence. Over the years, New Riff has explored additional mashbills and barrels, filling barrels at 110 proof and letting them age in Northern Kentucky.
While this blend is comprised of the same mashbills as the initial release, which used barrels ranging from 7 to 8 years old, this year’s blend features 9-year-old barrels, along with Madeira Cask-aged malt whiskey, introducing a whiskey profile unearthed from continued malted barley exploration.
The 2024 Sour Mash Single Malt Whiskey comes bottled without chill filtration at 114.5 proof with a mashbill comprised of 100% barley varietals — Golden Promise, Maris Otter, and Scottish peated barley malt — as well as two beer-inspired mashbills based on classic Barleywine and Belgian Quadrupel recipes.
The oak-forward 2024 Sour Mash Single Malt release has flavors ranging from rich dark, and zesty citrus fruits to complementary balances of earthy and savory smoke notes, according to sensory manager Bryon Martin.
“Our Single Malt program represents a level of complexity and exploration in malted barley not seen before in Kentucky’s whiskey history,” Erisman added.
New Riff’s monthly whiskey education series, WHSKY NRD, will present Single Malt seminar classes Friday, Sept. 6, and Friday, Nov. 8, where guests can hear the distillery’s Single Malt project origin story and taste through the whiskeys with the whiskey makers themselves, including Erisman. For more information, visit newriffdistilling.com/tour or click here to purchase tickets.
The 2024 Sour Mash Single Malt has a suggested retail price of $69.99 per 750-ml. bottle.
This follows the recent launch of Ol’ New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Ol’ New Riff Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey.
