New Riff Single Barrel – KBF 2025 Pick

2026-02-26

We’re cracking open a New Riff Single Barrel from Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2025, signed by Master Distiller Brian and chosen as a Distiller’s Row pick. New Riff built its name on transparency and tradition, non chill filtered, bottled in bond releases, and a commitment to quality. This single barrel clocks in at 116 proof and delivers deep caramel, dried fruit, leather and earthy richness from nose to finish. But the bigger question we explore is this: when you’re surrounded by incredible bourbon at a festiv...

We’re cracking open a New Riff Single Barrel from Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2025, signed by Master Distiller Brian and chosen as a Distiller’s Row pick.

New Riff built its name on transparency and tradition, non chill filtered, bottled in bond releases, and a commitment to quality. This single barrel clocks in at 116 proof and delivers deep caramel, dried fruit, leather and earthy richness from nose to finish.

But the bigger question we explore is this: when you’re surrounded by incredible bourbon at a festival like KBF, how do you decide which single bottle gets the precious luggage space?

We unpack what makes a single barrel special, whether blends are actually more reliable, and whether the market is starting to feel saturated with “single barrel” labels that don’t always carry the same meaning.

This one stood out not because it shouted the loudest, but because it felt balanced, layered, and genuinely unique.

Chapters

00:00 The pour and the signature
00:45 New Riff’s backstory
02:00 Philosophy – non chill filtered and bottled in bond
03:10 Nose – Werther’s and leather
04:45 Palate – caramelized date richness
06:00 Choosing one bottle at KBF
08:00 Unique vs too different
09:30 Single barrel vs blend

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