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New Riff Bottled-in-Bond vs Penelope Rio
Put New Riff Bottled-in-Bond next to Penelope Rio and you have a contemporary, high-rye craft build set against a sourced, corn-forward blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond | Penelope Rio |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +2 proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$38 – $45 ~$49 less | ~$80 – $100 |
| 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.
Penelope Rio
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Penelope Rio
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 4/9 sweetness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10, Penelope Rio 9 out of 10
spice 9/6 spice: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
oak 5/4 oak: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 4 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
heat 6/5 heat: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Penelope Rio 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Penelope Rio 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- 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.
- Penelope Rio: Penelope's four-grain blend finished in honey barrels and then amburana wood. It tastes like a cinnamon roll: honey, gingerbread and sweet baking spice.
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 Penelope Rio if you want a honey-and-amburana-finished bourbon that tastes like a cinnamon roll.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio).