Photo: Hailey Bollinger
New Riff Distilling
Yellow Leaming and Blue Clarage Kentucky Straight Bourbon are distilled from rare, regional heirloom corn crops and bottled in bond without chill filtration at 100 proof. The Newport distillery says these Ohio Valley heirloom varietal whiskeys not only have unprecedented flavors, but also connect them to their agricultural origins of whiskey-making of centuries past.
“The wider whiskey industry is waking up to the possibilities and flavors inherent of old grains, old ingredients from a century ago,” New Riff co-founder Jay Erisman said in a press release. “Heirloom grains are a direct ticket to different flavors, yet of great authenticity and reality. We are proud to do our part to preserve the past while continuing to highlight our brand’s commitment to industry-leading innovation.”
The Yellow Leaming heirloom varietal is a derivative of a Native American corn dating back to 1824. It was sourced and grown for New Riff by Charles Fogg, a farming partner in Greensburg, Indiana.
“Yellow Leaming, one of the greatest corns in American agricultural history would eventually go on to form the basis for the standard of modern American yellow dent corn, and it came from right here in Hamilton County,” Erisman said.
New Riff says the heirloom Yellow Leaming corn led to a classic high-rye bourbon that has exceptional depth and balance. It’s made with 65% heirloom Yellow Leaming corn, 30% rye and 5% malted barley.
As for the Ohio Valley Blue Clarage varietal, that was developed in the 1920s by farmer Edmund Clarridge in Clinton County and was also grown by Fogg for New Riff. The distillery says this kind of corn creates a marked difference in whiskey compared to New Riff’s standard recipe, with more fruited, spicy tones.
“We were given 150 pounds of the blue corn as seed stock from farmer Tony West at Appalachian Heirloom Plant Farm. Charles Fogg took this seed stock and grew it into a crop that sustained our singular production of this whiskey for years. Often associated with the Southwest United States region and Mexico, blue corn comes from right here in our homeland in the Ohio Valley, too,” Erisman said.
Erisman says this whiskey's nose provides “an extra layer of fruitiness, juxtaposed against the clove-led spices of the 30% rye grain.”
Both whiskeys have been aged five years. New Riff says sales are limited to two bottles per purchase – no more than one bottle of each product – and have to be picked up within 60 days of purchase. The whiskey will also be available in limited quantities at the distillery’s Aquifer Tasting Bar, through Kentucky retailers and New Riff’s Whiskey Club.
New Riff Distilling, 24 Distillery Way, Newport. newriffdistilling.com.
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