Made with an heirloom grain varietal, New Riff Distilling announced the re-release of its acclaimed Red Turkey Wheat Kentucky Straight Bourbon for the first time in four years. A rare wheated whiskey from the Northern Kentucky distillery, this release will be available across New Riff’s national footprint in limited quantities.
“We’ve worked with heirloom grains since the beginning at New Riff, and Red Turkey Wheat is a great example of our continued exploration into unique, historic ingredients,” says master distiller Brian Sprance. “Red Turkey Wheat, which dates back to the 1870s, brings deeper flavors and aromas that you don’t often find in modern grain varieties. Today, it’s being preserved by farmers, artisan bakers, and distillers, and we’re proud to be part of that effort through our whiskey.”
New Riff first began distilling with Red Turkey Wheat in 2016 and has continued distilling, aging and developing this wheated bourbon ever since. The inaugural batch was released in 2021 and earned accolades including gold medals from both the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Barleycorn Awards.
The release has notes of citrus, slight sweetness, and a touch of cinnamon, Sprance adds. On the nose, Red Turkey Wheat is “grainy and bready, with clove-studded orange, praline, confection, dark fruit and citrus notes.” The palate is chewy and “remarkably zesty, even citrusy” with moments of dark stewed fruits, moderately sweet and well-balanced, with black cherry skin into the finish — which is exceptionally long, beginning with a nutty grain character followed by bright citrus and dark fruit skin.
New Riff Red Turkey Wheat is made with 70% corn, 25% Red Turkey Wheat and 5% malted barley. It is aged at least 5 years and bottled-in-bond at 100 proof at a suggested retail price of $59.99/750mL. It will be available beginning Aug. 15 at select retail locations nationwide and for online shipping through the distillery’s website (where available). Bottles will also be available at the distillery.