Compare
New Riff 8 Year vs Maker’s Mark 46
Put New Riff 8 Year next to Maker’s Mark 46 and you have a contemporary, high-rye craft build set against a classic, high-wheat stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Maker’s Mark 46 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | 8 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +6 proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$65 – $70 | ~$38 – $45 ~$26 less |
- 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.
Maker’s Mark 46
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Maker’s Mark 46
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/4 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 8 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 4 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Maker’s Mark 46 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.
- Maker’s Mark 46: Finished with seared French oak staves inside the barrel, which adds the spice and wood that the standard bottling deliberately lacks. The most useful upgrade in the Maker's range.
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 and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Maker’s Mark 46 if you want the softness of Maker's Mark with real oak and spice layered over it at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Maker’s Mark 46).