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Old Grand-Dad 114 vs New Riff Single Barrel
Comparing Old Grand-Dad 114 and New Riff Single Barrel is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$28 – $35 vs. ~$55 – $70).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Grand-Dad 114 | New Riff Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 5 years |
| Proof | 114 proof (57% ABV) +9 proof | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$28 – $35 ~$31 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Old Grand-Dad 114 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
Old Grand-Dad 114
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Grand-Dad 114 New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 6/4 sweetness: Old Grand-Dad 114 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
nuttiness 5/3 nuttiness: Old Grand-Dad 114 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Old Grand-Dad 114 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
heat 8/7 heat: Old Grand-Dad 114 8 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
spice 9/9 spice: Old Grand-Dad 114 9 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
oak 6/6 oak: Old Grand-Dad 114 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- Old Grand-Dad 114: The best proof-per-dollar in American whiskey and it is not especially close. The 27% rye mash at 114 proof is loud, peppery and completely unsubtle, which is exactly why it makes such a good old-fashioned.
- 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.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Old Grand-Dad 114 if you want maximum rye spice and proof for under thirty dollars.
- 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 the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad 114); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).