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New Riff 8 Year vs Jefferson's Reserve Very Old
New Riff 8 Year and Jefferson's Reserve Very Old sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, rye-forward craft style versus a blender-built, classically built bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Jefferson's Reserve Very Old |
|---|---|---|
| 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) +10 proof | 90.2 proof (45.1% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$65 – $70 | ~$55 – $65 ~$8 less |
- Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 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 Reserve Very Old
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Jefferson's Reserve Very Old
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/5 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 5 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 6 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 6 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 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 Reserve Very Old: The older, drier sibling of Jefferson's Very Small Batch. Buttery toffee and dried fruit sit on a firm, slightly smoky oak backbone, and the finish turns peppery and long.
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 slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with Jefferson's Reserve Very Old if you want a mature, oak-driven blend with dried fruit and a dry, peppery finish at an easy proof at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat, rocks (Jefferson's Reserve Very Old).