Nancy R.
Yelp
I visited Louisville KY 2 years ago and was pleased to have "New Riff" named as a favorite up-and-coming distillery by another distillery tour guide.
I was fortunate enough to be added as an alternate / plus "1" to a regular barrel purchase group tasting on 5/5/2021 and it was an extraordinary experience.
The New Riff team has mastered social distancing adjustments to allow this great experience.
Now, the important part - the bourbon.
If you haven't tried New Riff yet, what are you waiting for?
It's carried in most Ohio liquor shelves I've seen - and is a very reasonable price point for the quality. Pick up a bottle.
I think you will find New Riff to have great flavor and represents bourbon very well. This is on my short list of favorite single pour bourbons - that is, my single ounce poured over a large ice cube and sipped.
It makes any day a little bit better to reflect while enjoying the notes only a glass of bourbon can deliver.
The bourbon barrel purchasing group experience.
Our mentor/guide was really knowledgeable and gave us a tour of the grounds and we were even able to walk through some barrel storage.
I cannot adequately describe how remarkable a large warehouse filled with wooden structure racks holding barrels of bourbon other than it is one of the best things I have ever smelled in my life (and I've smelled babies, puppies, and fresh bread).
It is absolutely delightful - comforting, warm, and (pun intended) intoxicating.
While New Riff is a newer distiller (and I'm anxiously awaiting their 6-yr Rye); they have taken over grounds formerly used as a trolley / bus / dairy service line with the oldest building from 1899 in Covington, Kentucky.
The architecture of the facilities are a striking mix of the old structure and new structures; traditional components and modern.
The tasting room has a nice view of the facility and is well appointed to choose your designated samples.
As a team, we reviewed the descriptions of 20-24 barrels and chose our collective top "3".
The 3 chosen are drawn for you and placed into 2 (ish) ounce vials marked "A", "B", and "C" for your blind tasting.
As a group, we vote, rate, and chose our final highest score and you have chosen your barrel to purchase.
The last step is to draw samples (6ish ounces) marked and labeled with the barrel number and the "SOLD" tag is placed on the barrel and it is re-closed and scheduled for bottling.
How much is a barrel?
It really depends on the bourbon and the distiller.
An average barrel yields about 200 bottles of bourbon.
The per bottle price varies - but take a walk through your favorite liquor store and you will quickly see the median range for bourbon is $30 - $60/bottle.
I believe the average price we've paid so far have been just under $50/bottle for barrel picks, assuming we have enough buyers.
Our portion of the group purchase?
I order one case, my significant other orders one case, his brother, one case - so we line up for 18 bottles of the 200.