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Four Roses Small Batch vs New Riff Single Barrel
Comparing Four Roses Small Batch and New Riff Single Barrel is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by proof (90 vs. 105).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Small Batch | 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 | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +15 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$32 – $38 ~$28 less | ~$55 – $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 Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Small Batch New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/9 spice: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
heat 4/7 heat: Four Roses Small Batch 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
sweetness 6/4 sweetness: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
fruit 7/5 fruit: Four Roses Small Batch 7 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
oak 5/6 oak: Four Roses Small Batch 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Four Roses Small Batch 3 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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 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 Small Batch if you want a fruit-and-floral profile that stands apart from the usual caramel-and-oak template at a lower price point.
- 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 more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails (Four Roses Small Batch); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).