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Old Grand-Dad Bonded vs New Riff Single Barrel
On paper Old Grand-Dad Bonded and New Riff Single Barrel are near neighbours — both high-rye bourbons — so price (~$24 – $30 vs. ~$55 – $70) is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Grand-Dad Bonded | 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 | 4 years | 5 years +1 yr |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +5 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$24 – $30 ~$36 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded 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 Bonded
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Grand-Dad Bonded New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 5/3 nuttiness: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
sweetness 5/4 sweetness: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
spice 8/9 spice: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 8 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
oak 5/6 oak: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
heat 6/7 heat: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Nutty, grain-driven character is the divider.
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded: A bonded 100-proof high-rye bourbon for the price of a mixer, and one of the great bargains on the shelf. Cleaner and less overwhelming than the 114 while keeping the peppery rye backbone.
- 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 Bonded if you want a bonded, high-rye workhorse at mixer money.
- 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 Bonded); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).