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New Riff Single Barrel vs Jack Daniel’s 12 Year
Comparing New Riff Single Barrel and Jack Daniel’s 12 Year reveals a matchup between a modern, spice-driven craft expression and a traditional, even-keeled Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Jack Daniel’s 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 80% corn, 8% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 5 years | 12 years +7 yr |
| Proof | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) | 107 proof (53.5% ABV) +2 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$55 – $70 ~$38 less | ~$80 – $120 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- 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.
Jack Daniel’s 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Jack Daniel’s 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 4/8 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 8 out of 10
spice 9/5 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 5 out of 10
oak 6/8 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 8 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 6 out of 10
heat 7/6 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s 12 Year 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- 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.
- Jack Daniel’s 12 Year: Twelve-year Jack Daniel's at 107 proof. Sweet and creamy, with butterscotch, pipe tobacco and seasoned oak.
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 Jack Daniel’s 12 Year if you want a sweet, creamy, well-aged Jack Daniel's with pipe tobacco and oak.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); neat, rocks (Jack Daniel’s 12 Year).