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New Riff 8 Year vs Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
Comparing New Riff 8 Year and Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by age (8 years vs. 4 years).
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| 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 +4 yr | 4 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$65 – $70 | ~$45 – $55 ~$18 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 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/6 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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 1897 Bottled-in-Bond: The bonded entry in the Whiskey Row series and a noticeable step up in density from the standard 100. More oak and more weight, though the price gap to the 100 proof is harder to justify than the flavour gap suggests.
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 an older age statement and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded, denser take on the Old Forester profile with more barrel behind it at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond).