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New Riff Bottled-in-Bond vs Uncle Nearest 1856
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond and Uncle Nearest 1856 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, rye-forward craft style versus a sourced, classically built blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond | Uncle Nearest 1856 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 4 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$38 – $45 ~$21 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Uncle Nearest 1856 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.
Uncle Nearest 1856
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Uncle Nearest 1856
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 9/5 spice: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10
sweetness 4/7 sweetness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 7 out of 10
oak 5/7 oak: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 7 out of 10
heat 6/5 heat: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 4 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 5 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.
- Uncle Nearest 1856: Named for Nathan 'Nearest' Green, the enslaved distiller who taught Jack Daniel, and now backed by the brand's own distillery in Shelbyville. Sweet and maple-leaning with the charcoal-mellowed softness of the style.
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 Uncle Nearest 1856 if you want a sweet, maple-forward Tennessee whiskey with a story worth knowing behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Uncle Nearest 1856).