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New Riff Bottled-in-Bond vs Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Put New Riff Bottled-in-Bond next to Russell’s Reserve 15 Year and you have a contemporary, high-rye craft build set against a full-proof, unfiltered heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond | Russell’s Reserve 15 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | 15 years +11 yr |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV) +17 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$38 – $45 ~$284 less | ~$250 – $400 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Russell’s 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.
Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
One of my favorites.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 5/9 oak: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 9 out of 10
sweetness 4/7 sweetness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
spice 9/6 spice: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
heat 6/7 heat: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating 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.
- Russell’s Reserve 15 Year: The oldest regular Russell's Reserve, at barrel proof. Fifteen years in Camp Nelson rickhouses push it toward old oak, leather and dried fruit over the usual Turkey 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 Russell’s Reserve 15 Year if you want a very old, oak-heavy Wild Turkey for slow sipping with more proof behind it and with an older age statement.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond); neat (Russell’s Reserve 15 Year).