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New Riff Single Barrel vs Ancient Age
Comparing New Riff Single Barrel and Ancient Age reveals a matchup between a modern, spice-driven craft expression and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Ancient Age |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 5 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +25 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$14 – $18 ~$47 less |
- Ancient Age 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 Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Ancient Age
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Ancient Age
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 9/4 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Ancient Age 4 out of 10
heat 7/2 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Ancient Age 2 out of 10
oak 6/3 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Ancient Age 3 out of 10
sweetness 4/5 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Ancient Age 5 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Ancient Age 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Ancient Age 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- New Riff Single Barrel: The single-barrel expression of New Riff's 30% rye mash, non-chill-filtered and at higher proof than the bonded version. As dry and peppery as bourbon gets before it stops being bourbon.
- Ancient Age: The bottom rung of the Buffalo Trace ladder and priced accordingly. Thin and simple at 80 proof, but it is recognisably the Mash Bill #2 recipe and it does its job in a highball without complaint.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with New Riff Single Barrel if you want the most aggressively spice-driven bourbon in this list, with single-barrel variation on top with significantly more proof behind it.
- Go with Ancient Age if you want the cheapest honest mixer in the lineup and you are not drinking it neat.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); cocktails, highball (Ancient Age).