Compare
New Riff 8 Year vs Blanton’s Single Barrel
On paper New Riff 8 Year and Blanton’s Single Barrel are near neighbours — both high-rye bourbons — so price (~$65 – $70 vs. ~$80 – $150) is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Blanton’s Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 8 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +7 proof | 93 proof (46.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$65 – $70 ~$48 less | ~$80 – $150 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Blanton’s Single Barrel 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
New Riff 8 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Blanton’s Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Blanton’s Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/6 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- New Riff 8 Year: The older, deeper version of New Riff's bonded bourbon. Same 30% rye recipe, but eight years add richer oak and darker sugar while keeping the spice front and center.
- Blanton’s Single Barrel: The bottle that invented the single-barrel category and still trades largely on its horse-stopper cork and its scarcity. The whiskey itself is genuinely good — honeyed and citrus-led with nutmeg spice — but at secondary prices you are paying for the bottle as much as the pour.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with New Riff 8 Year if you want an older, deeper take on New Riff's spicy high-rye recipe at a significantly lower price point and with slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with Blanton’s Single Barrel if you want the original single-barrel presentation and a honeyed, citrus-led profile, and the hunt is part of the appeal.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat, rocks (Blanton’s Single Barrel).