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Evan Williams Black Label vs New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Evan Williams Black Label and New Riff Bottled-in-Bond sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus a new-wave, rye-forward craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Evan Williams Black Label | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 86 proof (43% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +14 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$14 – $18 ~$26 less | ~$38 – $45 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Evan Williams Black Label
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Evan Williams Black Label New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 4/9 spice: Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10
heat 3/6 heat: Evan Williams Black Label 3 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/4 sweetness: Evan Williams Black Label 6 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
oak 5/5 oak: Evan Williams Black Label 5 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Evan Williams Black Label: The everyday black label, and a perfectly competent well bourbon. Softer and sweeter than the bonded version, with less to say but nothing objectionable.
- 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 Evan Williams Black Label if you want a dependable, inexpensive mixing bourbon and nothing more complicated than that at a 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 more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed cocktails, highball, rocks (Evan Williams Black Label); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond).