New Riff Bottled in Bond Balboa

Made from a mashbill of 5% malted rye and 95% Balboa rye, an heirloom variety that dates back to the 1940s, this is New Riff’s second bottling of Balboa. Its debut release was in 2019, which made it the first company to distill the variety in decades. This second release illustrates what additional experience and time can yield in the glass. It has earthy aromas of dried herbs, green olives, leather, and pickle brine. The palate skews sweeter, with vanilla frosting, coconut cake, and candied raspberries floating among peppery spice. Toasted marshmallow, milk chocolate, mouthwatering spice, and fruit-forward sweetness come forth on the long finish.