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David Nicholson Reserve vs New Riff 8 Year
Put David Nicholson Reserve next to New Riff 8 Year and you have a blender-built, corn-forward bottling set against a contemporary, high-rye craft build.
Key Specifications
| Feature | David Nicholson Reserve | New Riff 8 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 8 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$30 – $40 ~$33 less | ~$65 – $70 |
- David Nicholson Reserve 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 Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff 8 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
David Nicholson Reserve New Riff 8 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/8 spice: David Nicholson Reserve 6 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10
fruit 3/5 fruit: David Nicholson Reserve 3 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: David Nicholson Reserve 5 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10
oak 6/7 oak: David Nicholson Reserve 6 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: David Nicholson Reserve 5 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: David Nicholson Reserve 3 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- David Nicholson Reserve: The rye-recipe sibling to the 1843, with extra age. Toasty oak and rye spice give it more backbone, and the spice stays put through a long, warm finish.
- 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 David Nicholson Reserve if you want a toasty, spicy, 100-proof value bourbon that stands up in cocktails.
- Go with New Riff 8 Year if you want an older, deeper take on New Riff's spicy high-rye recipe with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed old-fashioned, cocktails, rocks (David Nicholson Reserve); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year).