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New Riff Single Barrel vs Penelope Four Grain
Put New Riff Single Barrel next to Penelope Four Grain and you have a contemporary, high-rye craft build set against a blender-built, corn-forward bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Penelope Four Grain |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | 5 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +25 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$30 – $40 ~$28 less |
- Penelope Four Grain 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.
Penelope Four Grain
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Penelope Four Grain
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 9/3 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 3 out of 10
heat 7/2 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 2 out of 10
oak 6/3 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 3 out of 10
sweetness 4/6 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 4 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 5 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.
- Penelope Four Grain: A light, low-proof blend of corn, wheat, rye and barley. Honey, almond and orchard fruit keep it sweet and easy, though it reads young and thin when sipped neat.
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 significantly more proof behind it.
- Go with Penelope Four Grain if you want an easy, light, honeyed bourbon that mixes well at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); highball, cocktails (Penelope Four Grain).