New Riff Distilling

New Riff Distilling was founded in 2014 by Ken Lewis, a Kentucky spirits retailer and entrepreneur best known for building The Party Source, one of the region’s most influential beverage retail destinations. The distillery was created as a “new riff on an old tradition,” meaning it would honor Kentucky bourbon fundamentals while giving the team room to experiment, question assumptions, and build a whiskey identity from the ground up. Jay Erisman, a key early leader and co-founder, brought deep spirits knowledge and helped shape the brand’s flavor-forward approach, including its focus on high-rye bourbon, rye whiskey, malted rye, specialty grains, and Kentucky Wild Gin. From the beginning, New Riff stood apart by committing to serious production choices early rather than rushing whiskey to market. The brand embraced Bottled-in-Bond standards, non-chill filtration, full-bodied flavor, and transparent labeling, then let its whiskey mature before releasing flagship bourbon and rye. Over time, New Riff became one of Northern Kentucky’s most recognized whiskey names and expanded its visitor identity beyond the original East Newport distillery, with a West Newport campus used for rickhouse, bottling, historic tasting room, and appointment-based experiences.