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New Riff Single Barrel vs Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon
New Riff Single Barrel and Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, rye-forward craft style versus a sourced, classically built blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| 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 less | ~$85 – $100 |
- Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 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.
Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 4/8 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 8 out of 10
spice 9/5 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 5 out of 10
fruit 5/8 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 8 out of 10
heat 7/5 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 5 out of 10
oak 6/6 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 6 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.
- Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon: Finished in Oloroso sherry, Pedro Ximenez sherry and Cognac casks. The casks layer dried fruit, orange and dark chocolate over the bourbon and leave a long, clove-spiced 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 at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon if you want a sherry-and-Cognac-finished bourbon full of dried fruit and dark chocolate.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); neat (Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon).