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New Riff is relaunching its award-winning Balboa Rye

New Riff is re-releasing a fan-favorite whiskey

By Christopher Osburn Published January 26, 2026

New Riff

First released in 2019, New Riff has announced the relaunch of its popular Balboa Rye Whiskey. Crafted with heirloom grains, this award-winning whiskey (unrelated to a certain fictional boxer) earns a place on your bar cart this winter.

New Riff Balboa Rye

Melding modern technology with tradition, this whiskey’s main grain is Balboa rye, a popular rye whiskey grain that distillers often used in the 1940s. It’s used by New Riff and adds to the brand’s emphasis on the use of heirloom and historic grains.

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This 100-proof whiskey contains 95% Balboa rye and 5% malted barley. According to New Riff, it delivers a complex nose of cloves, fruit, and black pepper, with flavors of horehound candy, rye bread, and clove.

“Balboa Rye was the starting point of our exploration into heirloom grains, and it remains one of the most meaningful whiskies we make,” Master Distiller Brian Sprance says.

“With this release, you can really taste the difference between heirloom rye and our flagship rye, from texture to flavor to overall character.”

“We are incredibly proud that Balboa Rye continues to be embraced by both our fans and industry experts, and that it helps celebrate the range of styles and expressions rye grain is capable of,” added Sprance.

Where can I buy it?

With only a limited number of bottles available, act quickly and secure your own New Riff Balboa Rye at the distillery’s gift shop, online, or at select whiskey retailers for the suggested retail price of $59.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Christopher Osburn

Writer

Christopher Osburn is a food and drinks writer located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. He's been writing professional

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