New Riff Maltster Malted Rye Bourbon

Neat. First pour. This brand's experimental releases have been inconsistent. While a certain rye is a favorite, their other series are merely novelties. This particular bottling has me eager for two reasons. First, it's enjoyable to explore something novel. Second, it's a younger expression of this rye! I'm anticipating trying older versions of this brand soon. I'm trying to grasp the impact of the malted rye. The aroma is fresh, not to be mistaken for young. It resembles that pleasant, clean scent after tidying up the house and finishing the vacuuming. There's a hint of citrus, which might be contributing to this perception. It reminds me of a lemon and orange cocktail. Toffee and a subtle touch of butterscotch are also present, even a note of shortbread cookies. So, the nose is clean and welcoming, and I wouldn't identify this as a product from this brand based on the aroma alone. A pleasant, silky texture on the palate. It's quite flavorful right away, with notes of blood orange and vanilla. The vanilla shifts to a deeper butterscotch flavor in the middle, returning to vanilla on the finish. The blood orange taste is prominent throughout and really lingers. I'm detecting a lot of delicious honey now, with toffee appearing at the back of the finish as well. Wow. The malt character intensifies with each taste, truly opening up after twenty minutes. The sweetness becomes much more apparent. I'm not completely won over, but I am curious. It's distinct, and nothing about its uniqueness is off-putting. It's also exciting. There are no immature notes. This makes me more optimistic about the possibility of a more mature single barrel release in the future. I believe this warrants another tasting with some aeration. This rating might improve.

Nose: vanilla, orange creamsicle, honey, and malt. Taste: spice, malt, oak, and a hint of sweetness. Finish: full of rye spice, with the alcohol heat finally making a slight appearance.

Sweeter and smoother than their usual bourbon. Still has a good spice. The best new variation of bourbon I've had. *tasted at j boyds

A good rye. It differs from their usual offerings, being smoother with fewer harsh edges. I will revisit it later.

Quite good. A pleasant blend of malt with good flavor and a nice effect.

Like juicy fruit gum in a bottle.