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New Riff Single Barrel vs Penelope Toasted Series
New Riff Single Barrel and Penelope Toasted Series are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is proof (105 vs. 100).
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Penelope Toasted Series |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | 5 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +5 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$55 – $70 |
- 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 Toasted Series
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Penelope Toasted Series
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 9/5 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10
sweetness 4/7 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10
heat 7/5 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10
oak 6/7 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 3 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 Toasted Series: Finished in a second, freshly toasted barrel, which pushes it toward toffee, roasted coffee and darker oak. The toast level changes from batch to batch.
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.
- Go with Penelope Toasted Series if you want a toasty, coffee-and-toffee bourbon from a second-barrel finish.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Toasted Series).