New Riff Bourbon Pursuit Single Barrel...

New Riff Bourbon Pursuit Single Barrel (56.2%): Second barrel pick from Bourbon Pursuit on the blog in one week... This one is distilled by New Riff Distilling Company. Although New Riff is a relatively new label in the bourbon scene enthusiasts are quite familiar with their former label O.K.I. under which they released some remarkable MGP sourced whiskeys. The bourbon in the bottle I am about to pour right now is coming from a barrel filled on November 11th, 2014 and bottled on November 12th, 2018. It is distilled from a mash-bill of 65% corn, 30% rye and 5% malted barley and bottled at barrel strength.

Color: Amber, orange blossom honey with very faint legs.

Nose: Stables, dry hay and chalk. Dried strawberries, fresh cranberries, chamomile tea and white pepper. Dusty, earthy and dry. A few drops of water brings up even more chalk and dirt and also some funk. Wild mushrooms, damp forest floor and decomposing leaves. Green tea and honey syrup.

Palate: A little hot at this abv... Strawberries, raspberry jam and milk chocolate. Wet clay and straws. A few drops of water change the whiskey immensely: Eucalyptus drops, spearmint and cinnamon. Wintergreen Altoids and old newspaper stacks. Herbal and sweet now. It has a general damp attic/basement quality that I liked a lot.

Finish: Dry, medium long with white pepper dusting and kiln dried soft wood.

Overall: I am not quite sure what they are doing there at the distillery but whatever they are doing they are doing it right... This is a very promising young release unlike any other craft distillery in the market. It is layered, interesting, not rushed and very unique. Love the chalky and dusty nose followed by a minty, herbal and dry palate. Well, they got my attention now for sure... I definitely should taste their rye as well and follow their new releases.

Price: $55

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