Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey from New Riff takes home the top prize at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards

New Riff

The World Whiskies Awards are one of the most reputable competitions in the drinks industry. The annual judging was initially launched in the U.K. back in 2007, but today reveals its best-in-class winners at a pair of grand galas held in both Louisville and London. Last week the latter event celebrated the medalists in global whisky categories (I shared an exclusive first look at the scotch here), but right now I’m uncorking a bottle of the best bourbon of WWA 2026. Because it’s more than just an undeniably awesome liquid—it may be one of the best bargains in all of American whiskey.

Here’s everything you need to know about Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight from New Riff Distilling.

Let’s start with the producer itself. New Riff was founded in 2014 by Ken Lewis—a former teacher-turned-liquor retailer. He had the bold vision to start his operation about 100 miles northeast of bourbon’s traditional epicenter of Louisville. The distillery actually operates in a suburb of Cincinnati, on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River. More important than the unconventional location, however, was its unique approach to grain and technique.

From the beginning, New Riff has committed itself to the quality of the ingredients that go into its fermentations (namely, corn, rye and malted barley) as well as to a bottled-in-bond, non-chill-filtered methodology. The ethos has reaped immediate benefits: bottlings that are full of flavor and show exceptional richness even at relatively young age.

Just look at what the judges at WWA 2026 had to say about the brand’s Bottled In Bond flagship, when naming it the year’s best bourbon: "Lemon zest and butterscotch on the nose; a bright palate with cinnamon, caramel, fresh fig, vanilla cookie, sweet pastry, dried leather, pumpernickel rye, corned beef and brine; a warm and sweet finish with caramel, lemon peel, crumb cookie and coffee."

As required of any bottled-in-bond whiskey, by way of federal legislation passed in 1897, this expression is bottled at an exacting 100 proof, was distilled in a single season from a single distillery and was aged for a minimum of four years in charred new oak barrels. And interestingly, the barrels used to compile this signature didn’t really spend much more than the requisite four years of maturation.

The liquid was already showing brilliantly after that duration, a testament to the unusual mashbill at the heart of its greatness: 65% corn, 30% rye and 5% malted barley—all of it non-GMO grain, sourced from local Kentucky farmers wherever possible. Many American whiskey makers will label their bourbons “high rye” even if they carry just 20% of the namesake grain in their list of ingredients. But this one truly lives up to the moniker and you can taste the difference. The robust spice and depth of flavor—particularly in the lasting finish—certainly bolstered its performance with judges.

The pricing of the whiskey, meanwhile, will certainly bolster its performance on shelves. Retailing at just under $40 a bottle, the cost is indeed every bit as appealing as the flavor profile. Across the entirety of the New Riff portfolio, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything above $70 a bottle, and that includes other award-winning liquids such as 8-year-old bourbons and ryes and a coffee roast-forward American single malt that compares favorably against any other offering in the nascent category.

All of this should serve as a poignant reminder to any modern bourbon drinker: Do not sleep on this brand. The in-roads it has made in just 12 short years on the scene are striking. And though it might exist as a bit of a geographical outlier, beyond the reaches of Louisville and Lexington, New Riff is right at home alongside the finest of Kentucky’s Old Guard.