Compare
Four Roses Small Batch vs New Riff 8 Year
Four Roses Small Batch and New Riff 8 Year are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$32 – $38 vs. ~$65 – $70).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Small Batch | New Riff 8 Year |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 8 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$32 – $38 ~$33 less | ~$65 – $70 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Four Roses Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff 8 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Small Batch New Riff 8 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/8 spice: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10
oak 5/7 oak: Four Roses Small Batch 5 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 7/5 fruit: Four Roses Small Batch 7 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Four Roses Small Batch 4 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Four Roses Small Batch 3 out of 10, New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Four Roses Small Batch: Four Roses' yeast strains push this toward fruit and florals rather than wood. Red berry and cinnamon over a light body, with the rye showing up as brightness instead of bite.
- 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 Four Roses Small Batch if you want a fruit-and-floral profile that stands apart from the usual caramel-and-oak template at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with New Riff 8 Year if you want an older, deeper take on New Riff's spicy high-rye recipe with more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails (Four Roses Small Batch); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year).