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New Riff 8 Year vs Penelope Toasted Series
Comparing New Riff 8 Year and Penelope Toasted Series is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$65 – $70 vs. ~$55 – $70).
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Penelope Toasted Series |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | 8 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$65 – $70 | ~$55 – $70 ~$5 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.
Penelope Toasted Series
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Penelope Toasted Series
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/5 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 4 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 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.
- Penelope Toasted Series: Finished in a second, freshly toasted barrel, which pushes it toward toffee, roasted coffee and darker oak. The toast level changes from batch to batch.
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.
- Go with Penelope Toasted Series if you want a toasty, coffee-and-toffee bourbon from a second-barrel finish at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Toasted Series).