Compare
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond vs Elijah Craig Small Batch
Put New Riff Bottled-in-Bond next to Elijah Craig Small Batch and you have a contemporary, high-rye craft build set against a classic, corn-forward stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond | Elijah Craig Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +6 proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$38 – $45 | ~$28 – $35 ~$10 less |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Elijah Craig Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Elijah Craig Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 9/5 spice: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 5 out of 10
sweetness 4/6 sweetness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 6 out of 10
oak 5/7 oak: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 7 out of 10
heat 6/4 heat: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Elijah Craig Small Batch 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- New Riff Bottled-in-Bond: At 30% rye this is about as spice-forward as bourbon gets before becoming rye whiskey. Peppery and herbal with mint and dill, non-chill-filtered for texture, and noticeably dry rather than sweet.
- Elijah Craig Small Batch: A heavily oak-driven pour for the money, with vanilla bean and brown sugar riding on top of real char and smoke. The extra age shows up as wood depth rather than harshness.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with New Riff Bottled-in-Bond if you want aggressive rye spice and a dry, herbal profile from a modern craft distillery with slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with Elijah Craig Small Batch if you want the best oak-forward value on the shelf, with more wood character than its price suggests.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Elijah Craig Small Batch).