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New Riff Bottled-in-Bond vs Wild Turkey 81
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond and Wild Turkey 81 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 | Wild Turkey 81 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +19 proof | 81 proof (40.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$38 – $45 | ~$20 – $25 ~$19 less |
- Wild Turkey 81 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.
Wild Turkey 81
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Wild Turkey 81
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 9/4 spice: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 4 out of 10
heat 6/2 heat: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 2 out of 10
sweetness 4/6 sweetness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 6 out of 10
fruit 5/3 fruit: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 3 out of 10
oak 5/4 oak: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/2 nuttiness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Wild Turkey 81 2 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.
- Wild Turkey 81: The same mash bill and No. 4 char as Wild Turkey 101, cut to 81 proof. Honey and toffee come through clearly, but the body and spice are much lighter.
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 with more proof behind it.
- Go with Wild Turkey 81 if you want a lighter Wild Turkey built for mixing at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond); highball, cocktails (Wild Turkey 81).