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New Riff 8 Year vs Four Roses Bourbon
Put New Riff 8 Year next to Four Roses Bourbon and you have a contemporary, high-rye craft build set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Four Roses Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | 8 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +20 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$65 – $70 | ~$22 – $28 ~$43 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.
Four Roses Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Four Roses Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/3 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10
spice 8/5 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 5 out of 10
heat 5/2 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 2 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Four Roses 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.
- Four Roses Bourbon: The yellow label entry point, blending all ten Four Roses recipes at a gentle 80 proof. Light and fruity to a fault, but the house floral character is already recognisable and it mixes beautifully.
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 Four Roses Bourbon if you want the Four Roses fruit-and-floral signature at its lightest and cheapest.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); cocktails, highball, rocks (Four Roses Bourbon).