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New Riff 8 Year vs Wild Turkey Rare Breed
New Riff 8 Year and Wild Turkey Rare Breed sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, rye-forward craft style versus an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Wild Turkey Rare Breed |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| 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) | 116 proof (58% ABV) +16 proof |
| 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.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Good flavor.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 5/8 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10
oak 7/8 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 6 out of 10
spice 8/8 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land very differently on the palate for heat.
- 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 Rare Breed: Barrel-proof Wild Turkey at a price that still looks like a mistake. Everything the 101 does with considerably more force, and one of the most consistently praised bottles in its category.
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 Wild Turkey Rare Breed if you want barrel-proof spice and oak with a reputation to match, at half what comparable bottles cost.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat, old-fashioned (Wild Turkey Rare Breed).