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Four Roses Bourbon vs New Riff Single Barrel
Put Four Roses Bourbon next to New Riff Single Barrel and you have a classic, high-rye stalwart set against a contemporary, high-rye craft build.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Bourbon | New Riff Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 5 years |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +25 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$22 – $28 ~$38 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Four Roses Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Bourbon New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 2/7 heat: Four Roses Bourbon 2 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
spice 5/9 spice: Four Roses Bourbon 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
oak 3/6 oak: Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/4 sweetness: Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- Four Roses Bourbon: The yellow label entry point, blending all ten Four Roses recipes at a gentle 80 proof. Light and fruity to a fault, but the house floral character is already recognisable and it mixes beautifully.
- 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 Four Roses Bourbon if you want the Four Roses fruit-and-floral signature at its lightest and cheapest.
- 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 significantly more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed cocktails, highball, rocks (Four Roses Bourbon); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).