New Riff Red Turkey Wheat Straight Bourbon Whiskey is Bottled in Bond (100 proof) without chill filtration and is aged at least 5 years. The mashbill is 70% corn, 25% red turkey wheat, 5% malted barley. MSRP $49.99. Nose: Sweet caramel, cinnamon, toasted oak, baking spices. Palate: Quick spice punch, minty, grainy, cinnamon, chewy, complex. Finish: drying, long, zesty, baking spices, with breadiness as the last remaining flavor. Comments: I let this first pour of the bottle breathe in the pictured New Riff stemless mini glencairn glass for about 15 minutes before tasting. Interested in the zestiness & spiciness present for this 100 proof wheated bourbon. Did not experience the sweetness level I expect with wheated bourbons, but sweetness is somewhat present. With a drop or two of water, it was softer on the palate but still vibrant. New Riff disclosed that they obtained this red turkey wheat heirloom grain from talking with their friends in the baking community of the greater Cincinnati area. I would definitely buy this bottle again as it is enjoyable. To try to build on my tasting experience of this bourbon, I poured some Maker's Mark 101 & Weller Antique 107 from my collection. I tasted each separately while following up each taste of these bourbons with the New Riff. New Riff has the most spice & zestiness and is a top contender in complexity. Hope you found this review helpful. This bourbon is a new release so I wanted to share. I obtained the bottle on November 6th 2021 after securing the purchase online on the November 5th sale as a member of New Riff Whiskey Club. To my knowledge, it is being released only to New Riff Rangers, Whiskey Club members, & an allocated release in the KY market.
About this bottle
As an exploration of heirloom grains and wheated bourbons, New Riff has released this expression using Red Turkey wheat in the mash bill. It consists of 70% corn, 25% Red Turkey Wheat, and 5% malted barley. Aged at least 5 years, it's bottled-in-bond at 100 proof. New Riff first began distilling with Red Turkey Wheat in 2016 and has continued distilling, aging, and developing this wheated bourbon since. The brand debuted Red Turkey Wheated Bourbon in 2021, but has re-released it in August 2025. Available at the distillery and at select retailers nationwide. (SRP $59.99)
How it tastes
Measured across 14 flavor axes. Tap a note to find other bottles that lead with it.
Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 8 parsed reviews.
Neat. Neck pour. These New Riff special releases have been fun and expectations are even higher after the amazing Malted Rye. On the nose, it is darker than expected. Dark chocolate and straight cocoa beans. Kind of funny due to the name but there is a Wild Turkey-like funk. Lots of royal vanilla icing. There is a dark fruit here. Somewhere between a black plum and blood orange, hard to pin down. Morphing a bit into a white chocolate. There is a fresh earthiness here too. Like walking through an open meadow away from any city. Flashes of that scene in Gladiator running through my head. A delightful freshly baked bread is wrapped around the entire thing. It’s a refreshing nose. On the taste, the mouth feel is light and fluffy but not thin. Oily for 100 proof. Upfront it’s all cinnamon bread with a spread of butter. Mid-palate is where this starts to shine. An uppercut of dark bitter chocolate gets overtaken but the vanilla icing and a surprising blast of orange zest. There is a continuous layer of cinnamon and clove. Geez an unexpected layer of mint too. The finish is longer than expected as well. Cinnamon bread with a drizzle of vanilla icing for days. That orange zest hangs on too. What an interesting wheater. It has a depth of flavor and long finish I was not expecting. Kicking back in the autumn Sunday with leaves falling around me, this is a perfect pour for the setting. New Riff should make more of this one, it’s another winner. What a year they have had with these special releases.
Nose- maple syrup, caramel corn, mixed berry compote. Delightful nose and more than I anticipated from a wheated bourbon which usually have a tendency to be a bit one note. This was actually super good, and made me take notice! Palate- remarkably coating and wonderfully syrupy viscosity without being too sweet. The berries on the nose are unabashedly upfront, and covered in gooey caramel with buttery characteristics like syrup coated waffles and a dash of blackberry compote.. It is then deliciously balanced by some light nutmeg. This is a great bourbon and lends itself to being digestif or dessert. Rich and decadent treat. Finish- medium to long. Goes out on a note of butter cream, and butter brickle ice cream. Overall- until now New Riff has never impressed me- young whiskey with marketing that lent itself to everybody and his brother claiming quality single barrel picks in the 4-5 year range. They made buying an bottling barrels very easy before gaining street cred on what exactly is inside! This though? This is wheated bourbon at its finest! I actually preferred it over Weller 12, Larceny, and Maker's 46! Hoping this will be an edition to their regular lineup. Definite buy here.
New Riff rarely disappoints. This wheated offering is made with an heirloom red turkey wheat (25%) usually used in baking. The result is a five year complex and surprisingly zesty bourbon. Somewhat smokey and earthy, there is an underlying fruity sweetness with hints of chocolate on the finish. A very limited release on this one, but a fine addition to the New Riff lineup.
Nose: Creamy, Syrup, Makers 46 with 101 creaminess Notes: Good ol'sipper Finish: Long and soothing, not complex but longevity
Nose- sweet tea and caramel Body- rock candy and cola Finish- caramel to toffee Very good!
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Tastes like this
Closest flavor profiles across the whole catalog.
