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New Riff 8 Year vs Four Roses Small Batch Select
Comparing New Riff 8 Year and Four Roses Small Batch Select is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by age (8 years vs. 6 years).
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Four Roses Small Batch Select |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | 8 years +2 yr | 6 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 104 proof (52% ABV) +4 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$65 – $70 | ~$55 – $65 ~$8 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 Small Batch Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Four Roses Small Batch Select
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 5/8 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 8 out of 10
spice 8/7 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 7 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
heat 5/6 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The fruit-versus-grain contrast drives this one.
- 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 Small Batch Select: Six recipes, non-chill-filtered, at 104 proof, and the most complete thing Four Roses makes at a normal price. The house fruit character with enough proof and texture to carry it.
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 an older age statement.
- Go with Four Roses Small Batch Select if you want the fullest expression of the Four Roses fruit-forward style without chasing an allocated bottle at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat, rocks (Four Roses Small Batch Select).