Award-winning specialty whiskeys return beginning Black Friday, Nov. 28
NEWPORT, Ky. (Nov. 20, 2025) – New Riff Distilling has announced the return of two fan-favorite limited releases—Winter Whiskey and Sherry Finish Malted Rye—just in time for the holiday season. Both bottlings will be available starting Black Friday, November 28 at 11 a.m. EST at the New Riff Distillery gift shop, online, and across the brand’s national distribution network.
More information is available at NewRiffDistilling.com.
Winter Whiskey Returns: A Bourbon Inspired by Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
New Riff’s acclaimed Winter Whiskey—a Kentucky Straight Bourbon made with malted oats and chocolate malt—features a distinctive mashbill of 65% corn, 20% malted oats, 7% pale ale malt, 5% steel cut raw oats, and 3% chocolate malt. The whiskey is Bottled in Bond without chill filtration, aged at least four years, and bottled at 100 proof.
“Going back to our brewing roots, this whiskey was inspired by our love of chocolate oatmeal stouts,” said Master Distiller Brian Sprance. “We took that beer recipe and reimagined it as a bourbon, exploring how chocolate malt and malted grains could translate through distillation. It’s an incredibly challenging whiskey to make, but it’s a challenge we look forward to every time. The result is a non-traditional, one-of-a-kind expression that marries rich, malty chocolate flavors with the classic vanilla and char of the barrel.”
Winter Whiskey delivers delicate cocoa-driven dryness, balanced oak, and a spicy, oaty finish accented by hints of Belgian cocoa—without ever becoming overly sweet.
Sherry Finish Malted Rye: A Holiday Favorite with High Accolades
First launched in 2022, Sherry Finish Malted Rye returns with its complex profile shaped by secondary aging in oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. The whiskey is bottled straight from the barrel at 111.9 proof with no chill filtration.
“We’re not known for barrel finishing, which is why this whiskey stands out in our lineup,” said Sprance. “Treating our 100% Malted Rye as a malt whiskey first made a sherry cask finish feel completely natural. The result is rich, elegant, and nuanced, with rye character that bursts through in the finish. We’re incredibly proud of how this one turned out, and we think people will really enjoy it.”
A double gold medalist and “Best in Class” finalist at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the Sherry Finish Malted Rye features notes of sherry oak, walnut, soft vanilla, malty grain, sappy sherry, clove, wood spice, and fruit-skin complexity.
Retail Details
- Winter Whiskey MSRP: $59.99
- Sherry Finish Malted Rye MSRP: $69.99
- Availability: Distillery gift shop, online, and national distribution beginning November 28, 11 a.m. EST
- Press-ready photos available upon request
About New Riff Distilling
Fiercely independent since 2014, New Riff Distilling blends time-honored sour mash traditions with modern creativity to produce award-winning bourbon, rye, single malt whiskey, and gin. The Northern Kentucky distillery sources water from a private 100-foot aquifer and offers immersive guest experiences through its renovated Riff Shop and The Aquifer Tasting Room. The distillery is also known for its robust private barrel selection program, offering quarter, half, and full barrel picks with custom labels.
Learn more at NewRiffDistilling.com.