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New Riff Single Barrel vs Old Grand-Dad Bonded
On paper New Riff Single Barrel and Old Grand-Dad Bonded are near neighbours — both high-rye bourbons — so price (~$55 – $70 vs. ~$24 – $30) is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Old Grand-Dad Bonded |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% 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 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$24 – $30 ~$36 less |
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded 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.
Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
sweetness 4/5 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
spice 9/8 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 8 out of 10
oak 6/5 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 4 out of 10
heat 7/6 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Nutty, grain-driven character is the divider.
- 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 Grand-Dad Bonded: A bonded 100-proof high-rye bourbon for the price of a mixer, and one of the great bargains on the shelf. Cleaner and less overwhelming than the 114 while keeping the peppery rye backbone.
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 Grand-Dad Bonded if you want a bonded, high-rye workhorse at mixer money.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad Bonded).