Compare
New Riff Single Barrel vs Old Forester 86 Proof
New Riff Single Barrel and Old Forester 86 Proof are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$55 – $70 vs. ~$20 – $26).
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Old Forester 86 Proof |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No age statement |
| Proof | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +19 proof | 86 proof (43% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$20 – $26 ~$40 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 86 Proof
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Old Forester 86 Proof
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 9/5 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Old Forester 86 Proof 5 out of 10
heat 7/3 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Old Forester 86 Proof 3 out of 10
sweetness 4/6 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Old Forester 86 Proof 6 out of 10
oak 6/4 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Old Forester 86 Proof 4 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Old Forester 86 Proof 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Old Forester 86 Proof 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.
- Old Forester 86 Proof: The entry bottling and the cheapest way to meet the Old Forester banana-and-caramel signature. Thin at 86 proof, but it costs very little and mixes well.
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 more proof behind it.
- Go with Old Forester 86 Proof if you want the Old Forester house character at the lowest possible price.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); cocktails, highball, rocks (Old Forester 86 Proof).