New Riff 6 Year Old Malted Rye Whiskey
New Riff 6 Year Old Malted Rye Whiskey is a Kentucky straight rye built on a mash bill of 100% malted rye and bottled-in-bond at 100 proof (50% ABV) after a full six years in new charred American oak — the oldest expression in New Riff's standard portfolio, from the Newport distillery founded by Ken Lewis in 2014. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 50% (100 proof) — bottled-in-bond
- Size: 750mL
- Age: minimum 6 years
- Mash bill: 100% malted rye (non-GMO); open-top sour mash fermentation; non-chill filtered
- Origin: New Riff Distilling, Newport, Kentucky
- Award: Double Gold, 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
A Malted Whiskey First, a Rye Second
New Riff's own description of this whiskey is that it is "a malted whiskey first, and a rye whiskey second" — the rye grain is malted (germinated, then kiln-dried) before mashing, which layers malty depth onto the classic rye bite. Bottled-in-bond means it came from a single distillery in a single season at exactly 100 proof, with no chill filtration. The result took Double Gold at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition — the top mark among New Riff's ten medals that year.
Tasting Notes
Malted rye brings a rounded, almost bready sweetness up front — malt, dark caramel, and toasted grain — with rye spice (cinnamon, pepper, dried citrus) building through the mid-palate and a long, warming oak finish at 100 proof.
How to Enjoy
This is a sipping rye whiskey built for a large ice cube: the proof holds its shape through the melt. It also makes an exceptional Manhattan or old fashioned, where the malted character plays beautifully against bitters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does bottled-in-bond mean?
It means the whiskey is the product of one distillery in one distilling season, aged at least four years, and bottled at exactly 100 proof — a federal guarantee of authenticity.
What is malted rye?
Rye grain that has been germinated and kiln-dried before mashing, which converts starches to fermentable sugars and adds malty, rounded depth to the whiskey.
How old is New Riff's malted rye?
This expression is aged a minimum of six years in 53-gallon new toasted-and-charred American oak barrels — the distillery's oldest standard bottling.
Order this Double Gold New Riff malted rye online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — a 100% malted-rye bottled-in-bond you won't find everywhere.