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New Riff 8 Year vs Redemption Bourbon
Comparing New Riff 8 Year and Redemption Bourbon is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$65 – $70 vs. ~$25 – $32).
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Redemption Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| 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) +16 proof | 84 proof (42% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$65 – $70 | ~$25 – $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.
Redemption Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Redemption Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/4 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Redemption Bourbon 4 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Redemption Bourbon 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Redemption Bourbon 5 out of 10
spice 8/7 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Redemption Bourbon 7 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Redemption Bourbon 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Redemption Bourbon 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating 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.
- Redemption Bourbon: Straightforward sourced MGP at a modest proof, and about as clear a reference sample of the high-rye MGP profile as you can buy. Thin neat, but a reliable and inexpensive cocktail base.
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 more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Redemption Bourbon if you want an inexpensive, unambiguous example of the MGP high-rye style for mixing at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Redemption Bourbon).