517. The New Riff Brown-Forman Sandwich

Welcome back, Roadies! Jim Shannon and Todd are pouring from the Bourbon Road Bar in Simpsonville, Kentucky for a fun four-bottle session that pits a pair of Brown-Forman special releases against two standout expressions from New Riff Distilling out of Newport, Kentucky. It is a night of limited finds, generous friends, and some genuinely unexpected flavor profiles.

On the Tasting Mat:

- Kentucky Boy (Brown-Forman, 100 Proof): A one-time-only release crafted by Woodford Reserve master distiller Elizabeth McCall and Old Forester assistant master distiller Caleb Trigo to honor master distiller emeritus Chris Morris on his 50th year at Brown-Forman. The blend draws from Woodford Reserve Double Oaked barrels, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon barrels, and King of Kentucky barrels, ringing in at 100 proof with an estimated age of around 10 years. The nose is a quintessential Brown-Forman showcase — rich chocolate, dried cherry, and leather — while the palate delivers mature oak, a hint of cranberry, dried fruit, and a touch of tobacco and barn. Proceeds benefit Second Stride, an equine adoption charity for retired thoroughbreds. MSRP $99.99. *(00:02:07)*

- New Riff Duet (111.2 Proof, 6 Year): A collaboration between New Riff Distilling and Cincinnati's Rheingeist Brewery, built on a highly distinctive mash bill of 57% malted barley, 37% raw barley, and 6% rye. Aged six years primarily in new American oak, then finished in Spanish Oloroso and Pedro Jiménez sherry casks, rested in large oak foeders used for beer maturation at Rheingeist, and finally re-barreled in used American oak before bottling at 111.2 proof. The nose opens with a soft, fresh honeydew melon quality, while the palate pivots dramatically — bready, honeyed, zesty citrus, and a long, drying finish that just keeps going. MSRP $79.99. *(00:12:04)*

- New Riff Headliner 2026 Punk Rock Edition (118.8 Proof): The second installment of New Riff's annual charity-focused Headliner series, celebrating the 50th anniversary of punk rock. It marks the first Headliner blend in which every whiskey is at least 10 years old and the distillery's first 50/50 bourbon and rye blend. The recipe combines 50% 11-year malted rye bourbon (65% corn, 30% malted rye, 5% malted barley), 25% 11-year straight rye (95% rye, 5% malted rye), and 25% 10-year Balboa rye (95% Balboa rye, 5% malted rye). Non-chill filtered at 118.8 proof. The nose delivers compact black pepper and clove with dark fruit and baking spice, while