Compare
Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon vs New Riff Single Barrel
Put Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon next to New Riff Single Barrel and you have a contemporary, high-wheat craft build set against a contemporary, high-rye craft build.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon | New Riff Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 5% rye, 25% wheat | 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 | ~$45 – $55 ~$13 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon
Didn't care for this one.
New Riff Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 4/9 spice: Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
sweetness 6/4 sweetness: Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
oak 4/6 oak: Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
nuttiness 2/3 nuttiness: Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 2 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon: An organic, wheat-heavy bourbon from a Michigan craft distillery. It stays round and caramel sweet on the palate with a peppery edge, while the nose is quiet and still a little young.
- 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 Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon if you want an organic, Midwest craft wheater with a round, caramel-forward body 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 rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).