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David Nicholson 1843 vs New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
David Nicholson 1843 and New Riff Bottled-in-Bond sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, wheat-forward bottling versus a new-wave, rye-forward craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | David Nicholson 1843 | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $35 ~$12 less | ~$38 – $45 |
- David Nicholson 1843 does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
David Nicholson 1843
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
David Nicholson 1843 New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 3/9 spice: David Nicholson 1843 3 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10
sweetness 7/4 sweetness: David Nicholson 1843 7 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: David Nicholson 1843 4 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: David Nicholson 1843 4 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
heat 5/6 heat: David Nicholson 1843 5 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: David Nicholson 1843 3 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- David Nicholson 1843: A long-running wheated label at 100 proof. Smooth vanilla and caramel with a soft, bready body and a touch more spice than you would expect from a wheater.
- New Riff Bottled-in-Bond: At 30% rye this is about as spice-forward as bourbon gets before becoming rye whiskey. Peppery and herbal with mint and dill, non-chill-filtered for texture, and noticeably dry rather than sweet.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with David Nicholson 1843 if you want a smooth, 100-proof wheater with a long history at a slightly lower price point.
- Go with New Riff Bottled-in-Bond if you want aggressive rye spice and a dry, herbal profile from a modern craft distillery with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (David Nicholson 1843); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond).