Compare
New Riff 8 Year vs W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Put New Riff 8 Year next to W.L. Weller Special Reserve and you have a contemporary, high-rye craft build set against a classic, high-wheat stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | W.L. Weller Special Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 8 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$65 – $70 | ~$30 – $60 ~$23 less |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve 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.
W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/2 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 2 out of 10
oak 7/4 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 4 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 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.
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve: The entry point to the Weller line and an easy introduction to wheated bourbon. Soft honey and vanilla with almost no rye bite, a bread-dough body, and a short, sweet finish that asks nothing of you.
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 without hunting for it.
- Go with W.L. Weller Special Reserve if you want the softest, sweetest, most approachable wheated pour of the group at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat, rocks, highball (W.L. Weller Special Reserve).