Compare
Johnny Drum Private Stock vs New Riff Single Barrel
Johnny Drum Private Stock and New Riff Single Barrel sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus a new-wave, rye-forward craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Johnny Drum Private Stock | 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 | 101 proof (50.5% ABV) | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +4 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$35 – $45 ~$23 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Johnny Drum Private Stock 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
Johnny Drum Private Stock
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Johnny Drum Private Stock New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/9 spice: Johnny Drum Private Stock 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
sweetness 6/4 sweetness: Johnny Drum Private Stock 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Johnny Drum Private Stock 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
oak 5/6 oak: Johnny Drum Private Stock 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Johnny Drum Private Stock 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Johnny Drum Private Stock 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Johnny Drum Private Stock: An old-school Willett label at 101 proof. Oily and dessert-like, with baked apple, almond and custard, and rye-like mint and spice on the finish.
- 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 Johnny Drum Private Stock if you want an oily, dessert-like 101-proof pour with old-school Willett character 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.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Johnny Drum Private Stock); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).