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New Riff Single Barrel vs David Nicholson Reserve
Put New Riff Single Barrel next to David Nicholson Reserve and you have a contemporary, high-rye craft build set against a blender-built, corn-forward bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | David Nicholson Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 5 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +5 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$30 – $40 ~$28 less |
- David Nicholson Reserve 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.
David Nicholson Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel David Nicholson Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 9/6 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, David Nicholson Reserve 6 out of 10
fruit 5/3 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, David Nicholson Reserve 3 out of 10
heat 7/5 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, David Nicholson Reserve 5 out of 10
sweetness 4/5 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, David Nicholson Reserve 5 out of 10
oak 6/6 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, David Nicholson Reserve 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, David Nicholson Reserve 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.
- David Nicholson Reserve: The rye-recipe sibling to the 1843, with extra age. Toasty oak and rye spice give it more backbone, and the spice stays put through a long, warm finish.
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 the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with David Nicholson Reserve if you want a toasty, spicy, 100-proof value bourbon that stands up in cocktails.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); old-fashioned, cocktails, rocks (David Nicholson Reserve).