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New Riff Single Barrel vs Blanton’s Single Barrel
New Riff Single Barrel and Blanton’s Single Barrel are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$55 – $70 vs. ~$80 – $150).
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Blanton’s Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| 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) +12 proof | 93 proof (46.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 ~$53 less | ~$80 – $150 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Blanton’s Single Barrel 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.
Blanton’s Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Blanton’s Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 9/6 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
heat 7/4 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 4 out of 10
sweetness 4/6 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
oak 6/6 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Blanton’s Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- Blanton’s Single Barrel: The bottle that invented the single-barrel category and still trades largely on its horse-stopper cork and its scarcity. The whiskey itself is genuinely good — honeyed and citrus-led with nutmeg spice — but at secondary prices you are paying for the bottle as much as the pour.
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 at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Blanton’s Single Barrel if you want the original single-barrel presentation and a honeyed, citrus-led profile, and the hunt is part of the appeal.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); neat, rocks (Blanton’s Single Barrel).