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Jefferson's Reserve Very Old vs New Riff Single Barrel
Put Jefferson's Reserve Very Old next to New Riff Single Barrel and you have a blender-built, corn-forward bottling set against a contemporary, high-rye craft build.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Jefferson's Reserve Very Old | New Riff Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 5 years |
| Proof | 90.2 proof (45.1% ABV) | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +15 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $65 | ~$55 – $70 |
- Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 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
Jefferson's Reserve Very Old
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Jefferson's Reserve Very Old New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 5/9 spice: Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
heat 4/7 heat: Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
sweetness 6/4 sweetness: Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 7 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 3 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Jefferson's Reserve Very Old: The older, drier sibling of Jefferson's Very Small Batch. Buttery toffee and dried fruit sit on a firm, slightly smoky oak backbone, and the finish turns peppery and long.
- 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 Jefferson's Reserve Very Old if you want a mature, oak-driven blend with dried fruit and a dry, peppery finish at an easy proof.
- 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 (Jefferson's Reserve Very Old); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).