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Horse Soldier Barrel Strength vs New Riff Single Barrel
Put Horse Soldier Barrel Strength next to New Riff Single Barrel and you have an uncut, high-wheat heavyweight set against a contemporary, high-rye craft build.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Horse Soldier Barrel Strength | New Riff Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 20% wheat, 10% malted barley | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 5 years |
| Proof | 111 proof (55.5% ABV) +6 proof | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$78 – $85 | ~$55 – $70 ~$19 less |
- Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 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
Horse Soldier Barrel Strength
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff Single Barrel
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Flavor Profile
Horse Soldier Barrel Strength New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 5/9 spice: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
sweetness 7/4 sweetness: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 7 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
oak 6/6 oak: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
heat 7/7 heat: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 7 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 3 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Horse Soldier Barrel Strength: A barrel-strength wheater from the veteran-founded Horse Soldier brand. Brown sugar and toasted oak lead, baking spice and heat follow, and a splash of water pulls out darker fruit.
- 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 Horse Soldier Barrel Strength if you want a big, barrel-strength wheated bourbon with plenty of brown sugar and warmth.
- Go with New Riff Single Barrel if you want the most aggressively spice-driven bourbon in this list, with single-barrel variation on top at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Horse Soldier Barrel Strength); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).