u/Only-Amphibian6397

Distillery: Old Forester

Proof: 100

Age Statement: NAS

Mashbill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley

Details: Warehouse I, Floor 7

Price Paid: $74.99

Availability: Store Pick

Nose: Banana and vanilla custard are the most prominent notes up front. There is also a faint char note and some cinnamon. Nice caramel notes are also present. A hint of cherry on the nose as well.

Palate: Banana, cherry, and vanilla comes through on the front palate followed by some cinnamon and spice to balance out the sweetness.

Finish: The finish is medium but the notes of vanilla, toffee, and oak that I’m getting are a bit muted.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is good and above average for the proof.

Score: 7.1

Final Thoughts: As an Old Forester fan I had to pick this up when I saw it on my resent trip. I enjoyed the nose, palate, and mouthfeel but the finish left a bit to be desired. It was just subdued compared to the bold flavors that the nose and palate had. I did overpay for this bottle a bit but it’s not something I see around in my state and have been looking to add this to my Old Forester lineup. For me the Single Barrel Barrel Proof blue labels from Old Forster that I’ve tired are a step up from this so I understand why these aren’t as common. Still a bottle I’m glad to have in my collection.

The t8ke Scoring Scale:

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things l'd rather have

5 | Good | Good, just fine

6 | Very Good | A cut above

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Distillery: New Riff

Proof: 118.8

Age Statement: 10 Years

Mashbill: 95% Rye 5% Malted Barley

Price Paid: $89.99

Availability: Limited distillery only release

Nose: Green apple combine with rye spice upfront. There is a slightly sour candy note that comes along with the apple notes. A slight vanilla sweetness but it’s mostly a spicy nose. Dark cherry and charred oak exist as well

Palate: The palate packs quite a punch. Tons of rye spice, pepper and citrus notes are present. The sour apple note is still present but the rye spice and herbal notes definitely dominate the palate.

Finish: The finish is extremely long and presents lots of rye spice as well as herbal notes. Mature oak and vanilla brings some sweetness.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is extremely thick and coats the palate entirely.

Score: 9.0

Final Thoughts: Just like the bourbon counterpart this rye is a fantastic value and worth the price. Fans of bold rye whiskey will enjoy this pour. As a big fan of both New Riff and rye whiskey this did not disappoint and was exactly what I wanted. It took what I like about the New Riff 6 Year Rye Single Barrel and provided a more complete experience. This is up there with my all time favorite rye releases. I’m really intrigued by the prospect of a 12 year old version of this product in the future.

The t8ke Scoring Scale :

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things l'd rather have

5 | Good | Good, just fine

6 | Very Good | A cut above

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Distillery: New Riff

Proof: 116.9

Price Paid: $89.99

Availability: Limited distillery only release

Nose: Lots of red fruits like cherries and raspberries. Caramel and vanilla are also present as well as a really nice rich charred oak note. Overall this has a very pleasant nose that is sweet and easily approachable.

Palate: Red fruits from the palate comes through up front but shifts to a more peppery,rye forward palate with some herbal notes. Some notes of vanilla also accompany that nice oak note I got on the nose. The palate definitely lets you know this is a high rye bourbon.

Finish: The finish is long and has more of those herbal rye notes combined with that charred oak. Some of that red fruit note lingers as well.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is thick and exactly what I would expect from a bourbon of this proof.

Score: 8.7

Final Thoughts: This is a fantastic bourbon that really is an excellent value at an MSRP of $89.99. With so many limited releases being priced so high it’s nice to see a sub $100 release with a 10 year age statement at barrel proof. I didn’t get the chance to try last year’s batch but this one was great. I really like New Riff as a distillery and hope they continue to put out phenomenal releases like this. I was fortunate enough to grab the 10 year rye as well and will review that one next.

The t8ke Scoring Scale :

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out

2 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things l'd rather have

5 | Good | Good, just fine

6 | Very Good | A cut above

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Really excited to pick these up at New Riff to celebrate National Bourbon Day. New Riff is my favorite small distillery and I enjoy their releases quite a bit. Can’t wait to see what else New Riff has in store. Hopefully the 12 year old bourbon and rye will release next year.