Compare
New Riff Single Barrel vs Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
New Riff Single Barrel and Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$55 – $70 vs. ~$45 – $55).
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 5 years +1 yr | 4 years |
| Proof | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +5 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$45 – $55 ~$13 less |
- 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.
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 4/7 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10
spice 9/6 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
heat 7/5 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
oak 6/7 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- 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.
- Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond: The bonded entry in the Whiskey Row series and a noticeable step up in density from the standard 100. More oak and more weight, though the price gap to the 100 proof is harder to justify than the flavour gap suggests.
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 Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded, denser take on the Old Forester profile with more barrel behind it at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond).