Compare
New Riff 8 Year vs Jefferson’s Very Small Batch
Put New Riff 8 Year next to Jefferson’s Very Small Batch and you have a contemporary, high-rye craft build set against a blender-built, corn-forward bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Jefferson’s Very Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 8 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +18 proof | 82.3 proof (41.1% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$65 – $70 | ~$28 – $36 ~$36 less |
- Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 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.
Jefferson’s Very Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Jefferson’s Very Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/4 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 4 out of 10
oak 7/4 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 4 out of 10
heat 5/2 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 2 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 6 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Jefferson’s Very Small Batch 3 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.
- Jefferson’s Very Small Batch: A blend of sourced barrels bottled at a very gentle 82.3 proof. Easy and inoffensive, but thin enough that it is hard to recommend over bonded bottles costing less.
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 Jefferson’s Very Small Batch if you want an especially soft, low-proof pour and gentleness matters more than intensity at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); rocks, cocktails, highball (Jefferson’s Very Small Batch).