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New Riff 8 Year vs Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish
Put New Riff 8 Year next to Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish and you have a contemporary, high-rye craft build set against a blender-built, corn-forward bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish |
|---|---|---|
| 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) +9 proof | 91.4 proof (45.7% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$65 – $70 ~$43 less | ~$90 – $130 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 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.
Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/4 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 8 out of 10
oak 7/8 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 8 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 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.
- Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish: The standard Michter's bourbon given a second toasted barrel, which adds sweetness and wood to an already polished pour. Genuinely good, though the price has drifted well past what the liquid alone justifies.
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 with slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish if you want the smoothest, most polished toasted-barrel pour here and price is not the deciding factor.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat (Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish).