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New Riff 8 Year vs Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon
New Riff 8 Year and Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 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 | Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$65 – $70 ~$25 less | ~$85 – $100 |
- Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 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.
Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/5 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 5 out of 10
fruit 5/8 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 8 out of 10
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 8 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 5 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 6 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 5 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.
- Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon: Finished in Oloroso sherry, Pedro Ximenez sherry and Cognac casks. The casks layer dried fruit, orange and dark chocolate over the bourbon and leave a long, clove-spiced finish.
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 Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon if you want a sherry-and-Cognac-finished bourbon full of dried fruit and dark chocolate.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat (Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon).