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New Riff Bottled-in-Bond vs Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond and Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, rye-forward craft style versus an old-guard, classically built classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond | Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| 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 ~$29 less | ~$60 – $80 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- 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 Toasted Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 4/8 sweetness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 8 out of 10
spice 9/5 spice: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 5 out of 10
oak 5/9 oak: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 9 out of 10
heat 6/4 heat: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 5 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- 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 Toasted Barrel: Finished in a second toasted (not charred) barrel, which produces an unmistakable toasted-marshmallow note. Sweet and heavily wooded, and one of the more distinctive finishes any major producer makes.
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 at a lower price point.
- Go with Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel if you want a distinctive toasted-oak, marshmallow-sweet finish you will not find in a standard bourbon.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond); neat, rocks (Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel).