Everything else on the menu Tropical Old Fashioned: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, pineapple demerara, tiki bitters and angostura bitters Smoke on the Water: New Riff 2025 Single Malt, simple syrup, fluffy orange juice, Aperol and angostura bitters Cherry Garcia: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, Ango amaro, Luxardo cherry syrup, ginger syrup and soda water Sweet Peach of Mine: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, peach tea and lemonade. This drink is also part of the distillery’s giveback program this quarter; $3 sold from Sweet Peach of Mine will go toward the Fermentation and Distillation program at Kentucky State University. Berry Good Lovin: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, blueberry honey mint syrup and lemon Photo: Hailey Bollinger

A Northern Kentucky distillery is once again bringing home the gold — and double gold — from a prestigious spirits competition.

New Riff Distilling in Newport says it recently won 12 medals — one for each of its entries — at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), a renowned event that features a thoughtfully curated list of judges conducting blind tastings. Winners range from some of the most well-known international distillers to small-batch producers.

Awards were announced May 8, with New Riff earning two Double Gold, one Gold and nine Silver medals. New Riff’s Sherry Finish Malted Rye was also named a “Best of Class” finalist in the Special-Barrel Finished Whiskey category.

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“New Riff is honored to be recognized in the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition and by a respected panel of judges,” New Riff President Mollie Lewis said in a press release. “These medals are a testament to the craftmanship, dedication and passion of our team, and we are immensely proud to see our work acknowledged at such a high level.”

New Riff received the Double Gold — the highest-ranking award — for its 8-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, which is available now at retailers nationwide. In addition to being named a “Best of Class” finalist, the Sherry Finish Malted Rye also received Double Gold. A limited release, this bourbon is set to return to New Riff this fall.

The Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey received a gold medal, and the following spirits won silver:

  • Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
  • 6-Year-Old Single Barrel Rye Whiskey
  • 8-Year-Old Rye Whiskey
  • Balboa Rye Whiskey
  • Malted Rye Whiskey
  • Winter Whiskey
  • 2024 Single Malt
  • Barrel Aged Gin

Several other Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky distilleries took home medals, as well:

Augusta Distillery

  • Buckners 10 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon (Double Gold)
  • Buckners 15 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon (Double Gold)
  • Buckners 17 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon (Double Gold)
  • Old Route 8 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon (Gold)

Neeley Family Distillery

  • Hidden Barn Organic Wheated Straight Bourbon (Gold)
  • Hidden Barn Series 1 “Cherry Picker” Bourbon (Gold)
  • Single Barrel Bourbon (Gold)
  • The Old Jett Brothers Finished in New Toasted French Oak Bourbon (Gold)
  • Bottled in Bond Bourbon (Silver)
  • Hidden Barn Organic Wheated Straight Bourbon (Silver)
  • R.D.R. Neeley Sweet Thumped Rye Whiskey (Silver)
  • Two Moons Organic Wheat Vodka (Silver)

New Richmond Distilleries

  • Grant Battle of Whisky Series Fort Henry & Fort Donelson (Double Gold)
  • Grant Battle of Whisky Series Shiloh Bourbon (Silver)

Pensive Distilling Company

  • 1944 (Gold)
  • Indigo Gin (Silver)
  • Vodka (Silver)

Wenzel Whiskey

  • Rectifier Rye Whiskey (Double Gold)
  • Wheated Whiskey (Gold)
  • Sherry Finished Bourbon (Silver)

You can see the full results of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition here.

This article appears in May 14-27, 2025.

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Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she...

One reply on “New Riff Distilling Brings Home 12 Medals from Prestigious International Spirits Competition”

  1. Pingback: Covington Distillery's Rye Named Best in Category by International Spirits Competition - Cincinnati CityBeat

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