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New Riff 8 Year vs Horse Soldier Barrel Strength
New Riff 8 Year and Horse Soldier Barrel Strength sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, rye-forward craft style versus an uncut, wheat-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Horse Soldier Barrel Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 70% corn, 20% wheat, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 8 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 111 proof (55.5% ABV) +11 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$65 – $70 ~$14 less | ~$78 – $85 |
- Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 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.
Horse Soldier Barrel Strength
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Horse Soldier Barrel Strength
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/5 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 5 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 7 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 7 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 6 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Horse Soldier Barrel Strength 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.
- Horse Soldier Barrel Strength: A barrel-strength wheater from the veteran-founded Horse Soldier brand. Brown sugar and toasted oak lead, baking spice and heat follow, and a splash of water pulls out darker fruit.
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 lower price point.
- Go with Horse Soldier Barrel Strength if you want a big, barrel-strength wheated bourbon with plenty of brown sugar and warmth.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat, old-fashioned (Horse Soldier Barrel Strength).