Can any rye lover resist an heirloom Balboa rye whiskey made by New Riff?
What You Need to Know
New Riff Kentucky Straight Balboa Rye Whiskey
- Type: Bottled in Bond Rye Whiskey
- Mashbill: 95% Balboa rye/5% malted barley
- Proof / ABV: 100 proof
- Age Statement / Range: 4 years
- MSRP: $59.99
- Availability: Limited release, distillery
- Purchase here (if available)
Review Summary – Our Take, Straight Up
You had me at the nose. I love a rich, surprising rye with a complex, layered flavor and a nose with deep and striking aromas. This ticks every box.
Tasting Notes
Can I wear this as a perfume? It’s heavenly to nose!
The beauty here is that the rye hits on so many levels at once. Not only is the nose compelling, bringing me back to it time and again (with this vanilla intensity that almost seems floral), but the texture is rich, full-bodied, and layered, with a finish that vacillates between sweet and earthy.
For those of you who think rye isn’t your thing, put this in a flight with a bourbon you adore and a rye that you can tolerate, and experience the difference. The texture alone is reason to put this on your must-try list.
Aroma: 9/10
Richly perfumed with ripe, dried fruit notes, maple, dark brown sugar, baking spices, and a layer of decandent vanilla notes that can read as floral
Flavor: 9.5/10
Molasses, clove, dried fruit (especially raisin), dried apple, and cinnamon
Texture: 9/10
Juicy and thick, coating the palate but without burn, luscious
Finish: 9/10
Long, sweet, and spicy with a touch of leather at the very end
Unique or True to Style?
The Balboa rye varietal creates a distinctive take on a typical bottled-in-bond rye whiskey. At just four years old, this has a structure and layering to it that I can’t usually find in 9 or 10 year old whiskies. This is not your mama’s bottled in bond rye!
Behind the Bottle
This bottled in bond expression takes its name from the heirloom Balboa rye that makes up 95% of the mashbill. Balboa is an older rye grain varietal associated with the Midwest in the 1940s, before modern grain production moved towards more commodity-oriented agriculture. Its rarity today means that this bottle is not just a rye whiskey, but a chance to taste how a less-common grain varietal can push rye flavors in a different direction.
Balboa rye was the first heirloom varietal grain that New Riff distilled with, and has been a sought-after bottle each time it’s been released. The company is known for its bottled-in-bond, non-chill-filtered whiskies and for its long focus on grain-driven expressions.
Best For / Skip If
- Best For: Rye lovers who want to experience the difference that heirloom varietals can make in a great whiskey. It’s also a great pick for bourbon drinkers who think they’re not rye lovers but gravitate toward rich, expressive pours.
- Skip If: I don’t think anyone should skip this. Even if you think you’re not a rye drinker, sipping this next to a typical rye can show you how wide the category truly is when we start looking at heirloom varietals.
Our Recommendations
- Suggested glassware: Glencairn
- Atmosphere : a quiet room or your best friend’s living room – she needs to try this
- Suggested for cocktails or as neat sipper: neat only
- Suggested food pairings: molasses cookies or apple butter on a hot biscuit
- Gifting suggestions: Great for any rye lover or bourbon fan curious about the category, though it may be hard to source.
- Would I pour it for my peer: hell yes!
- Would I pour this for my bestie: she’s getting the rest of this sample!
The Last Sip – Closing Notes
96
I’ve had previous versions of the Balboa rye whiskey and they have all been delicious, but this one has a decadence to it that comes through on each level, from the nose to the palate to the finish. It’s rare than any pour hits on so many levels at once. I’m sure there are people in the world who might not fall in love with it, but I am also sure that they can appreciate the beauty of the rye whiskey in terms of its consistency and expressiveness.
Now let me finish this pour.
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