Sips & Sites & Bites

Whiskey lovers who gravitate toward the road less traveled might want to take note … New Riff is reviving something special.

After a four-year pause, the Northern Kentucky distillery has brought back its Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon, a whiskey that digs deep into the soil of American grain history. First introduced in 2021, this expression isn’t just another wheated bourbon … it’s a slow-aged, bottled-in-bond whiskey made with Red Turkey Wheat, a rare heirloom varietal that dates back to the 19th century.

And while it may sound romantic to bring back a grain from the 1870s, New Riff is doing more than nodding to the past, they’re coaxing something entirely fresh and flavorful from it.

As Master Distiller Brian Sprance puts it, Red Turkey Wheat brings “deeper flavors and aromas you don’t often find in modern grain varieties.” It’s grainy, bready, even a little nutty, with layers of orange peel, praline, clove, dark fruits, and a finish that lingers like a slow sunset.

New Riff has been working with heirloom grains like this one since their early days, and this release reflects that quiet dedication to exploration. Red Turkey Wheat has been mostly preserved by farmers and artisan bakers, so seeing it distilled into something drinkable, and award-winning, is an unexpected treat. (The 2021 release picked up gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the Barleycorn Awards.)

At 100 proof and aged a minimum of five years, this bourbon is chewy and zesty on the palate, with flashes of citrus and black cherry skin showing through. It’s a whiskey that resists being pinned down, with a character as layered as the old grains it’s made from.

The mashbill comes in at 70% corn, 25% Red Turkey Wheat, and 5% malted barley, a rare mix that makes this bottle worth watching for. The 2025 batch rolls out on August 15th in limited quantities through select retailers and New Riff’s website (where shipping is available), with bottles also sold onsite at the distillery in Newport.

So if you’re the kind of drinker who enjoys finding something a little off the beaten path, and a little closer to the roots of American whiskey, this might be the pour for your next evening wind-down.