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Charles Goodnight Bourbon vs New Riff 8 Year
Put Charles Goodnight Bourbon next to New Riff 8 Year and you have an uncut, high-rye heavyweight set against a contemporary, high-rye craft build.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Charles Goodnight Bourbon | New Riff 8 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | 6 years | 8 years +2 yr |
| Proof | 115 proof (57.5% ABV) +15 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$75 – $80 | ~$65 – $70 ~$10 less |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Charles Goodnight Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff 8 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Charles Goodnight Bourbon New Riff 8 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 8/5 heat: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10
spice 7/8 spice: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10
oak 8/7 oak: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 6 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Charles Goodnight Bourbon 3 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- Charles Goodnight Bourbon: A barrel-strength Texas bourbon. The hot Texas climate pulls a lot of oak in six years, giving deep wood, brown sugar and dark fruit with plenty of rye spice.
- New Riff 8 Year: The older, deeper version of New Riff's bonded bourbon. Same 30% rye recipe, but eight years add richer oak and darker sugar while keeping the spice front and center.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Charles Goodnight Bourbon if you want a bold, oak-heavy Texas bourbon at barrel strength.
- Go with New Riff 8 Year if you want an older, deeper take on New Riff's spicy high-rye recipe at a slightly lower price point and with an older age statement.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Charles Goodnight Bourbon); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year).