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New Riff 8 Year vs Woodford Reserve
Comparing New Riff 8 Year and Woodford Reserve is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$65 – $70 vs. ~$35 – $42).
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff 8 Year | Woodford Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 8 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90.4 proof (45.2% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$65 – $70 | ~$35 – $42 ~$29 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.
Woodford Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff 8 Year Woodford Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/6 spice: New Riff 8 Year 8 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: New Riff 8 Year 7 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: New Riff 8 Year 5 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: New Riff 8 Year 6 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff 8 Year 3 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 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.
- Woodford Reserve: The most widely poured premium bourbon in America, and a genuinely well-made one. Dried fruit and cocoa over a balanced 18% rye mash, finished smooth enough to please almost anyone.
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 slightly more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Woodford Reserve if you want a polished, widely available crowd-pleaser that never puts a foot wrong at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff 8 Year); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Woodford Reserve).