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New Riff 8 Year vs Bulleit Bourbon
On paper New Riff 8 Year and Bulleit Bourbon are near neighbours — both high-rye bourbons — so price (~$65 – $70 vs. ~$25 – $32) is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Bulleit Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | 8 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$65 – $70 | ~$25 – $32 ~$39 less |
- 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.
Bulleit Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Bulleit Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/5 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
spice 8/7 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 7 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 4 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating 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.
- Bulleit Bourbon: The bottle that put high-rye bourbon in every cocktail bar in the country. Peppery and dry with the familiar MGP dill note, and it earns its place behind the bar more than in a glass on its own.
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 with more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Bulleit Bourbon if you want a dry, peppery, high-rye bourbon built for cocktails and available absolutely everywhere at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Bulleit Bourbon).