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New Riff 8 Year vs Jack Daniel’s 12 Year
Put New Riff 8 Year next to Jack Daniel’s 12 Year and you have a contemporary, high-rye craft build set against a classic, corn-forward stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Jack Daniel’s 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 80% corn, 8% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 8 years | 12 years +4 yr |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 107 proof (53.5% ABV) +7 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$65 – $70 ~$33 less | ~$80 – $120 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- 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.
Jack Daniel’s 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Jack Daniel’s 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/5 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 8 out of 10
oak 7/8 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 8 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 6 out of 10
heat 5/6 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- Jack Daniel’s 12 Year: Twelve-year Jack Daniel's at 107 proof. Sweet and creamy, with butterscotch, pipe tobacco and seasoned oak.
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 without hunting for it.
- Go with Jack Daniel’s 12 Year if you want a sweet, creamy, well-aged Jack Daniel's with pipe tobacco and oak with slightly more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat, rocks (Jack Daniel’s 12 Year).