New Riff has been turning heads in Kentucky for good reason. The distillery sits in Newport, just across the river from Cincinnati, and they've built a reputation on doing things by the book — non-chill filtered, bottled in bond or at cask strength, no shortcuts. This 2021 vintage, aged four years and released as part of their Heart Cut series, lands at 52% ABV and represents what I think is one of the more honest propositions in bourbon right now.
Four years might not sound like much on paper, but age statements without context are meaningless. What matters is what happened during those four years — the warehouse conditions, the barrel selection, the entry proof. New Riff enters their barrels at 50% ABV, which is notably lower than the legal maximum of 62.5% that many larger producers push toward. That lower entry proof means the spirit interacts with the oak differently from day one. More water in the barrel means more extraction of the sweeter, vanillin-rich compounds from the wood, rather than the harsher tannins you sometimes get when high-proof spirit strips the barrel aggressively. It's a deliberate choice, and at four years old, you can taste the difference.
The Heart Cut designation tells you something important too. This isn't a single barrel pick or a small batch blend — it's a selection from the middle cuts of their ageing stock, the barrels that best represent New Riff's house character. Think of it like a winemaker selecting from the heart of the vineyard. You're getting consistency and intent here, not a lucky outlier.
At 52% ABV, this sits in a sweet spot. It's got enough proof to carry weight and complexity without requiring you to add water, though a few drops certainly open it up. It's bottled without chill filtration, which means the texture stays intact — you get that slightly fuller mouthfeel that filtered bourbons lose.
Tasting Notes
I won't fabricate specific notes I haven't confirmed, but based on New Riff's mash bill and production approach, expect this to deliver classic bourbon character with real backbone. The lower barrel entry proof and four years of Kentucky ageing should give you a profile leaning toward rich caramel, baking spice, and oak without being over-wooded. At 52%, there's enough proof to keep things lively on the palate.
The Verdict
At £65.25, this is priced fairly for what you're getting — a well-made, non-chill filtered, four-year-old bourbon at a respectable 52% ABV from a distillery that genuinely cares about process. It's not trying to be a 12-year-old wheated bourbon or a barrel-proof monster. It knows exactly what it is: a confident, well-constructed bourbon at a sensible age and proof. I'm giving it a 7.9 out of 10. It loses half a point for being relatively young and another half for competing in a crowded field at that price point, but it earns every bit of its score through honest production and solid execution. If you're tired of mystery-sourced NAS bourbons with fancy labels, this is the antidote.
Best Served
This is a natural Old Fashioned bourbon. The 52% ABV holds up beautifully against a sugar cube and a couple dashes of Angostura without disappearing. Build it over a large ice cube: muddle your sugar with two dashes of bitters, add 60ml of the New Riff, stir for about 20 seconds, and express an orange peel over the top. The bourbon's backbone keeps it structured as the ice slowly dilutes. Equally good neat in a Glencairn if you want to appreciate the full proof experience — just give it five minutes in the glass before your first sip.
