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New Riff Bottled-in-Bond vs Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond and Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, rye-forward craft style versus an undiluted barrel-strength pour.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond | Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 68% corn, 18% rye, 14% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | 4 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 125.2 proof (62.6% ABV) +25 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$38 – $45 ~$29 less | ~$65 – $75 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 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.
Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 4/7 sweetness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 7 out of 10
spice 9/6 spice: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 6 out of 10
heat 6/9 heat: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 9 out of 10
oak 5/4 oak: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 4 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 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.
- Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year: Willett's own young distillate at full barrel proof. It is loud and sweet, all caramel corn, pastry and citrus, with a lot of heat for a four-year bourbon. Proof varies by batch.
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 Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year if you want a young, hot, barrel-proof pour that shows off Willett's own distillate.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond); neat (Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year).