Compare
New Riff Single Barrel vs Penelope Rio
Comparing New Riff Single Barrel and Penelope Rio reveals a matchup between a modern, spice-driven craft expression and a blender-built, even-keeled bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Penelope Rio |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 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) +7 proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$55 – $70 ~$28 less | ~$80 – $100 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- 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 Rio
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Penelope Rio
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 4/9 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Penelope Rio 9 out of 10
spice 9/6 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
oak 6/4 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Penelope Rio 4 out of 10
heat 7/5 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Penelope Rio 5 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Penelope Rio 3 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.
- Penelope Rio: Penelope's four-grain blend finished in honey barrels and then amburana wood. It tastes like a cinnamon roll: honey, gingerbread and sweet baking spice.
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 lower price point.
- Go with Penelope Rio if you want a honey-and-amburana-finished bourbon that tastes like a cinnamon roll.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio).