Compare
David Nicholson Reserve vs New Riff Single Barrel
Put David Nicholson Reserve next to New Riff Single Barrel and you have a sourced, corn-forward blend set against a contemporary, high-rye craft build.
Key Specifications
| Feature | David Nicholson Reserve | New Riff Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 5 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +5 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$30 – $40 ~$28 less | ~$55 – $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 Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
David Nicholson Reserve New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/9 spice: David Nicholson Reserve 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
fruit 3/5 fruit: David Nicholson Reserve 3 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: David Nicholson Reserve 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
sweetness 5/4 sweetness: David Nicholson Reserve 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
oak 6/6 oak: David Nicholson Reserve 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: David Nicholson Reserve 3 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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 Single Barrel: The single-barrel expression of New Riff's 30% rye mash, non-chill-filtered and at higher proof than the bonded version. As dry and peppery as bourbon gets before it stops being bourbon.
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 Single Barrel if you want the most aggressively spice-driven bourbon in this list, with single-barrel variation on top with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed old-fashioned, cocktails, rocks (David Nicholson Reserve); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).