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New Riff Single Barrel vs Old Forester Statesman
New Riff Single Barrel and Old Forester Statesman sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, rye-forward craft style versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Old Forester Statesman |
|---|---|---|
| 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) +10 proof | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$50 – $55 ~$10 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 Statesman
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Old Forester Statesman
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 4/8 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 8 out of 10
spice 9/5 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 5 out of 10
heat 7/4 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 4 out of 10
fruit 5/7 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 7 out of 10
oak 6/5 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/2 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 2 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 Statesman: Old Forester's fruit-forward middle child, first made for a spy movie tie-in. Bright cherry and brown sugar lead, with cocoa and a touch of the house banana note.
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 Statesman if you want a bright, cherry-sweet Old Forester that sits between the 100 and 1920 in weight at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Old Forester Statesman).