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New Riff Single Barrel vs Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year
Put New Riff Single Barrel next to Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year and you have a contemporary, high-rye craft build set against a classic, high-wheat stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 5 years | 15 years +10 yr |
| Proof | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) | 107 proof (53.5% ABV) +2 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 ~$1058 less | ~$240 – $2000 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 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.
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 9/3 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10
sweetness 4/8 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 8 out of 10
oak 6/8 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 8 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
heat 7/6 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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.
- Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year: Fifteen-year wheated bourbon from the Van Winkle line, made at Buffalo Trace. Rich toffee, leather and dried fruit with the oak well blended in.
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 Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year if you want a famously hard-to-find, rich, 15-year wheater with an older age statement.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); neat (Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year).