BOTTLE DETAILS
- DISTILLER: New Riff Distillery
- MASH BILL: Not totally disclosed, although honey-roasted malt is talked about.
- AGE: 6 years
- YEAR: 2024
- PROOF: 112 (56% ABV)
- MSRP: $300
- BUY ONLINE: Safai Bottle Store
STEVE’S NOTES
SHARE WITH: Any whiskey fan who likes weighty, barely woody bourbon.
WORTH THE PRICE: No. Sorry, however $300 is approach an excessive amount of to spend on 6-year-old sourced bourbon.
BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar to see for those who actually wish to spend $300 on a young-ish bourbon.
OVERALL: I dwell in Louisville and know the great Mike Safai has carried out for our enterprise neighborhood. That stated, I nonetheless recoil over a 6-year-old bourbon provided at $300 a bottle. Here is level of reference:
Followers of Heaven Hill’s 6-year bottled-in-bond bourbon (inexperienced on white label for many who hadn’t had it) beloved it not solely as a result of it was fairly good, they actually beloved its $13 retail worth. Those self same followers, nevertheless, received audibly uptight when HH stopped making it for some time so as to launch it anew at 7 years outdated for $49. As soon as everybody calmed down and surveyed evolving market costs for comparably outdated bourbon, they noticed that HH deserved to “take worth” for a whiskey whose high quality and age had earned it.
And but we have now Safai bourbon getting into the market at roughly six occasions that worth. That is powerful to reconcile even in nowadays of absurdly overpriced market entries, to not point out an total market hunch for American whiskey. Nothing private in opposition to Safai, who’s clearly made a greater dwelling at glorious espresso and property investments right here than I’ve reporting about them. It is stated usually and pretty, to the daring usually go the rewards, and that worth is daring.
So what’s it like, you ask? The nostril is loaded with roasted espresso and darkish toffee, aromas seemingly born of malt and yeast choice; two elements New Riff is thought to control to good measure. You understand the whiskey is weighty simply by swirling it within the glass: it is silent and coats the vessel’s inside. Do not go on the lookout for flowers or sweet right here, simply anticipate the oak, contemporary wooden mulch and tobacco boldness to climb out and say, “C’mon, sufficient of that swirling. Simply style me.”
By appeasing it, you get dose of oak–as if the spirit have been double oaked–adopted by bitter chocolate, dark-fired tobacco, some flamed citrus and vanilla. Had been I tasting this blindly, the medium dryness would lead me to guess it is older than 6 years, however its delicate and cherry pipe tobacco end claims in any other case.
Make no mistake, it is a strong whiskey, one I would like to sip together with a fatty steak or smoked beef ribs. It is received a number of spine and respectable construction for a juvenile in bourbon years. However $300 for a bottle of it … I can not go there when there are much better whiskies on the market for a lot much less.
BRAND NOTES
Distilled at New Riff Distillery in Newport, Ky., the whiskey entered the barrels at 110 proof. The 2 barrels of this Single Barrel Safai Bourbon have been aged at New Riff for six yeas. Safai stored the barrels in storage for a further two years after transferring them to Left Financial institution Spirits in Louisville. The whiskey matured to 122 proof and was bottled at 112 proof. It retails at $300 and is offered at retail and safaibourbon.com. Every Safai Bourbon can be a once-in-a-lifetime marker of distinction for whiskey collectors. These aficionados of Safai could have early entry to subsequent releases.
Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter obtained a pattern of this product from the model for evaluation. We recognize their willingness to permit us to evaluation their merchandise with no strings connected. Thanks.
