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New Riff Single Barrel vs Basil Hayden’s
New Riff Single Barrel and Basil Hayden’s sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, rye-forward craft style versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Basil Hayden’s |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% 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 | ~$38 – $45 ~$21 less |
- Basil Hayden’s 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.
Basil Hayden’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Basil Hayden’s
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 7/2 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 2 out of 10
spice 9/6 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 6 out of 10
oak 6/3 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10
sweetness 4/5 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land very differently on the palate for heat.
- 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.
- Basil Hayden’s: Built on the high-rye Old Grand-Dad mash but bottled at just 80 proof, which makes it the lightest thing in the Beam range by a distance. Peppery and herbal, but very thin — the price reflects the packaging more than the liquid.
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 Basil Hayden’s if you want an unusually light, peppery, low-proof pour and you do not want any weight in the glass at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); neat, rocks, highball (Basil Hayden’s).