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New Riff Single Barrel vs Russell’s Reserve 10 Year
New Riff Single Barrel and Russell’s Reserve 10 Year are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is proof (105 vs. 90).
Key Specifications
| Feature | New Riff Single Barrel | Russell’s Reserve 10 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 5 years | 10 years +5 yr |
| Proof | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +15 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$40 – $50 ~$18 less |
- 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.
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
New Riff Single Barrel Russell’s Reserve 10 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 9/6 spice: New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 6 out of 10
heat 7/4 heat: New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 4 out of 10
sweetness 4/6 sweetness: New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 6 out of 10
oak 6/8 oak: New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 8 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 3 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.
- Russell’s Reserve 10 Year: Ten years of Wild Turkey at a restrained 90 proof, which trades the 101's punch for polish. More oak and more composure, and one of the better age-stated bottles at its price.
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 more proof behind it.
- Go with Russell’s Reserve 10 Year if you want an age-stated, oak-forward Wild Turkey with the volume turned down at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel); neat, rocks (Russell’s Reserve 10 Year).