Headline: A NEW RIFF ON A CLASSIC BOURBON Short blurb: Crafted with New Riff in Kentucky, this small-batch blend of three casks delivers honeyed sweetness, juicy black cherry and warming oak spice — the kind of Bourbon that delivers, every time. KEY FACTS AT A GLANCE Kentucky Straight Bourbon Cask: New American Oak Distilled: 23/02/2021 Bottled: 30/07/2025 Strength: 52% ABV 1 of only 1,035 bottles (ever!) Flavour Highlights Honey-Roasted Nuts Thick Cut Marmalade Toffee Apples Juicy Black Cherries Parma Violets Tasting Deepdive: This Bourbon opens with honey-roasted nuts and warm toffee, before rolling into thick-cut marmalade, rich honey and a flicker of orange blossom water. There’s a waxy, slightly dusty quality that feels reassuringly traditional, quickly lifted by dried apricot and fragrant honeysuckle. Then it deepens: toffee apples and pecan pie richness, rum & raisin cake, even a handful of cinnamon jelly beans (thanks ‘A’ for this note!). The fruit swells into juicy black cherries and that proper Kentucky chew through the middle, before finishing with a cracked black pepper spice. Who is this for Approachable but full-flavoured, sweet and juicy with a classic Kentucky chew, this is a confident step up for someone who already loves classic American whiskey. Meet the distillery: Discover more about New Riff HERE {Link to distillery page}. This made the cut because: This is our first Bourbon release — and we knew we wanted to partner with a producer who respects tradition but isn’t bound by it. New Riff was founded in 2014 with a simple philosophy: make whiskey the hard way. Sour mash. On-grain distillation. Bottled-in-Bond standards. No chill filtration. No shortcuts. They’re known for their high-rye Bourbon mash bill, giving sweetness and structure, but with that gentle Kentucky spice running underneath. This small batch blend of three casks - all distilled in the same season - was brought together exclusively for The Heart Cut by New Riff’s master blender. It delivers everything we wanted from a first Bourbon release: richness, chew, fruit and oak. A seriously satisfying sipper. 1,035 bottles. That’s all. Half + Heart suggestion: We love a beer + bourbon, and this New Riff release with its warming toasted oak and juicy fruit tones pairs so well with a classic American Pale Ale. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is our go to - its gentle pine bitterness cuts through the whiskey’s sweetness perfectly. If you can find it, Brooklyn Brewery’s American Ale works a treat too. Label Inspiration For #22, we played on the idea of New Riff /a musical riff / riff house - musicians totally in sync, in harmony, marching to the beat of their own drum… or in this case, trumpet and guitar. The warming colours and bellowing tunes are a nod to what we find in the glass: toasted oak, rich sweetness, and that big, joyful Bourbon energy. Three Reasons to Buy this Bottle 1. Small Batch Bourbon A blend of three casks, all distilled in the same season and brought together exclusively for The Heart Cut. Just 1,035 bottles exist. And once they’re gone, they’re gone. 2. Kentucky Straight Bourbon “Straight” isn’t a style — it’s a standard. Aged in new American oak for a minimum of two years - this bottling for over four years - with no added colouring or flavourings. Pure whiskey. Nothing added, nothing hidden. 3. Sweet, Spiced, Proper Kentucky Chew A Bourbon abundant with notes of honey-roasted nuts, thick-cut marmalade and juicy black cherry, with warming oak and cracked black pepper on the finish.
