New Riff Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon 750ML

New Riff Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon 750ML is a 100-proof (50% ABV) bottled-in-bond wheated bourbon made with heirloom Red Turkey wheat, aged a minimum of five years. This Gold Medal winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition stands alone as the only Kentucky sour mash wheated bourbon produced in modern times from Red Turkey wheat—an heirloom grain that delivers a richer, wider flavor spectrum than modern hybrid wheat varieties.

Quick Facts: ABV: 50% (100 Proof)  |  Origin: Newport, Kentucky, USA  |  Aged Minimum 5 Years  |  Distillery: New Riff Distilling  |  Non-Chill Filtered  |  Bottled in Bond

Production & Heritage

New Riff Distilling, founded in 2014 in Newport, Kentucky, built its reputation on transparency and uncompromising production standards. The Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon uses a mashbill of 70% corn, 25% Red Turkey wheat, and 5% malted barley, distilled in copper pot and column stills, then aged a minimum of five years in new charred American oak barrels. Red Turkey wheat—also called Hard Red Winter wheat—is an heirloom varietal imported into Kansas in the 1870s by Mennonite Ukrainians. It carries more protein and less starch than modern wheat strains, which decreases distilling yield but produces a far wider and richer depth of flavor. The bourbon meets all requirements of the Bottled in Bond Act and is non-chill filtered, preserving the full body and texture of the spirit.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with warm bread and orange marmalade, followed by clove-studded orange and praline confection. Deeper exploration reveals cotton candy sweetness and dark fruit highlights layered beneath the bready, grainy core.

Taste: The entry is chewy and vibrant, immediately registering citrus brightness alongside light nuttiness. Mid-palate, dark stewed fruit emerges with balanced sweetness, while the heritage wheat contributes a distinctive grain richness that sets this apart from standard wheated bourbons. The mouthfeel is full and rounded, a direct result of the non-chill filtered approach.

Finish: Exceptionally long, leading with a nutty grain character that gradually transitions to bright citrus and dark fruit skin. The finish remains smooth and grain-forward, slowly fading with lingering warmth and a subtle echo of praline sweetness.

How to Drink Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon

Neat or with a few drops of water is the ideal serve here—the heritage grain character rewards undiluted attention, and the 100-proof backbone holds its structure with a single ice cube. A Boulevardier benefits from the dark fruit depth and citrus brightness, which cut through Campari's bitterness beautifully. A Wheat Penny Old Fashioned (bourbon, demerara syrup, orange bitters) highlights the orange marmalade and praline notes already present in the spirit. A classic Paper Plane pairs well because the bourbon's chewy body and citrus character stand up to Aperol and amaro without being overshadowed.

Best For

• Gifting a bourbon enthusiast who values heritage grains and distinctive production
• Side-by-side tastings comparing wheated bourbons with different wheat varieties
• After-dinner sipping where a long, complex finish is the main event
• Building a collection focused on bottled-in-bond and craft Kentucky bourbon

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon taste like? It delivers a chewy, vibrant palate of citrus brightness, dark stewed fruit, and light nuttiness, supported by a grainy, bready backbone. The finish is exceptionally long, marked by nutty grain character and lingering dark fruit skin.

How does Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon compare to Maker's Mark? Both are wheated bourbons, but Maker's Mark uses modern soft red winter wheat, while New Riff uses heirloom Red Turkey wheat with higher protein content, producing a noticeably richer and more complex grain character. Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon is also bottled at a higher proof (100 vs. 90) and aged a minimum of five years, resulting in a fuller body and longer finish.

Is Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon good for sipping neat? Absolutely—the 100-proof bottled-in-bond strength and non-chill filtered texture make it ideal for neat sipping, where the heritage wheat's layered complexity is most apparent. A few drops of water open additional praline and citrus aromatics.

Where is Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon made? It is produced at New Riff Distilling in Newport, Kentucky, directly across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. The distillery is situated in the heart of bourbon country and has operated since 2014.

What foods pair well with Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon? Pecan pie complements the praline and nutty grain notes. Aged cheddar or Gruyère matches the bourbon's chewy body and depth. Dark chocolate with orange zest echoes the marmalade and dark fruit. Smoked pork belly balances the citrus brightness with savory richness. Dried apricots and figs mirror the stewed fruit and sweet finish.

What sizes does Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle.

Is Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon worth the price? It positions as a premium craft bourbon, justified by its heirloom grain sourcing, five-year minimum age, non-chill filtration, and bottled-in-bond designation. For drinkers seeking something genuinely different within the wheated bourbon category, the heritage grain distinction offers tangible flavor value beyond marketing.

Why Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon?

This is not simply another wheated bourbon with a compelling backstory—the heirloom Red Turkey wheat fundamentally changes what ends up in the glass. Higher protein and lower starch content in the grain sacrifice distilling yield for a broader, richer flavor profile that modern hybrid wheats cannot replicate. Gold medals from both the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the Barleycorn Awards validate what the palate confirms: this expression occupies its own lane in the wheated bourbon category. For anyone who has explored standard wheated options and wants to understand how grain selection shapes flavor, Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon is the definitive case study.