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New Riff Bottled-in-Bond vs Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year
Comparing New Riff Bottled-in-Bond and Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year reveals a matchup between a modern, spice-driven craft expression and a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond | Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 4 years | 15 years +11 yr |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 107 proof (53.5% ABV) +7 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$38 – $45 ~$1079 less | ~$240 – $2000 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year does not publish an official mash bill.
- 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.
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 9/3 spice: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10
sweetness 4/8 sweetness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 8 out of 10
oak 5/8 oak: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 8 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 4 out of 10
heat 6/6 heat: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year: Fifteen-year wheated bourbon from the Van Winkle line, made at Buffalo Trace. Rich toffee, leather and dried fruit with the oak well blended in.
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 significantly lower price point.
- Go with Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year if you want a famously hard-to-find, rich, 15-year wheater with slightly more proof behind it and with an older age statement.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond); neat (Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year).