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New Riff 8 Year vs Wild Turkey 101
New Riff 8 Year and Wild Turkey 101 are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$65 – $70 vs. ~$25 – $30).
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Wild Turkey 101 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 8 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 101 proof (50.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$65 – $70 | ~$25 – $30 ~$40 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.
Wild Turkey 101
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Wild Turkey 101
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 5/4 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 4 out of 10
heat 5/6 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 6 out of 10
spice 8/8 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 8 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land close together on every flavor axis — the differences are in texture and proof more than character.
- 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.
- Wild Turkey 101: The workhorse high-rye Kentucky bourbon and one of the best proof-to-price ratios anywhere. Vanilla and orange up front, then a genuinely spicy, peppery, tobacco-tinged middle that punches well above $25.
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 Wild Turkey 101 if you want bold rye spice and real proof at the lowest price of anything comparable.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Wild Turkey 101).