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New Riff 8 Year vs Old Forester 100 Proof
Comparing New Riff 8 Year and Old Forester 100 Proof is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$65 – $70 vs. ~$26 – $32).
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Old Forester 100 Proof |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 8 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$65 – $70 | ~$26 – $32 ~$39 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.
Old Forester 100 Proof
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Old Forester 100 Proof
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/6 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Old Forester 100 Proof 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Old Forester 100 Proof 7 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Old Forester 100 Proof 6 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Old Forester 100 Proof 5 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Old Forester 100 Proof 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Old Forester 100 Proof 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.
- Old Forester 100 Proof: The bottle most people should buy from this range: the same recipe as the 86 with enough proof to actually taste it. One of the strongest arguments on the shelf for spending six dollars more.
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 the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Old Forester 100 Proof if you want the best value in the Old Forester range and a superb old-fashioned base.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Forester 100 Proof).