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Jack Daniel’s Bonded vs New Riff Single Barrel
Comparing Jack Daniel’s Bonded and New Riff Single Barrel reveals a matchup between a traditional, even-keeled Kentucky staple and a modern, spice-driven craft expression.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Jack Daniel’s Bonded | New Riff Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 80% corn, 8% rye, 12% malted barley | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | 5 years +1 yr |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +5 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$30 – $38 ~$29 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Jack Daniel’s Bonded
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Jack Daniel’s Bonded New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 4/9 spice: Jack Daniel’s Bonded 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
sweetness 6/4 sweetness: Jack Daniel’s Bonded 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Jack Daniel’s Bonded 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Jack Daniel’s Bonded 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Jack Daniel’s Bonded 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
oak 6/6 oak: Jack Daniel’s Bonded 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Jack Daniel’s Bonded: Bonded Jack at 100 proof, and far more serious than the black label most people picture. The charcoal mellowing still rounds everything off, but there is real bourbon structure underneath.
- 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 Jack Daniel’s Bonded if you want the Tennessee charcoal-mellowed character with bonded proof and genuine structure 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 the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Jack Daniel’s Bonded); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).