B-21 Top Recommendation
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"Great depth and integration; a super-complex sipper." - David Fleming, Whisky Advocate
New Riff has quickly risen from insider's find to powerhouse dynamo on the rye scene over the last decade, with fantastic takes on the style that have re-ignited whisky fans' interest in the category like few others. The rye grain has always been king here, and New Riff has that rare knack for pulling off standout traditional rye expression, while also exploring the full potential of it through innovative, forward-looking approaches.
One of the first limited-edition "specialty whiskies" to come out of New Riff back in 2019, the Balboa Rye is born of an heirloom rye varietal of the same name, exclusively farmed in Kentucky for the distillery. Bottled in bond, non-chillfiltered, and made of 95% Balboa rye and 5% malted rye, it made a big splash in the category when it was first introduced but then disappeared for a short spell, until the distillery began turning it out as an annual, limited release last year. The latest 2025 edition is a prime example of why the New Riff team loves this grain, even though it's so labor intensive to distill. Uncommonly bright and easily approachable for a rye, it's still displays the intensity and depth that rye fans love. Eric Hasman of Breaking Bourbon summed it up perfectly: "Rye may never shake its moniker of being a bold, hot, and spicy sip, but Balboa Rye does a lot to upend that notion without ignoring what makes rye whiskey great."
It's no surprise then that it just notched 96 points from Wine Enthusiast and 94 points from Whisky Advocate to confirm what New Riff fans already know: it's one of the most distinctive yet pleasurable rye renditions out there. Our allocation is small, and if current availability is any indication, you'll be glad you got hands on it when you could. | 
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