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Russell’s Reserve 10 Year vs New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Comparing Russell’s Reserve 10 Year and New Riff Bottled-in-Bond is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by age (10 years vs. 4 years).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Russell’s Reserve 10 Year | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | 10 years +6 yr | 4 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$40 – $50 | ~$38 – $45 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/9 spice: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 6 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10
oak 8/5 oak: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 8 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/4 sweetness: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 6 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
heat 4/6 heat: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 4 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 4 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 3 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- New Riff Bottled-in-Bond: At 30% rye this is about as spice-forward as bourbon gets before becoming rye whiskey. Peppery and herbal with mint and dill, non-chill-filtered for texture, and noticeably dry rather than sweet.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Russell’s Reserve 10 Year if you want an age-stated, oak-forward Wild Turkey with the volume turned down.
- Go with New Riff Bottled-in-Bond if you want aggressive rye spice and a dry, herbal profile from a modern craft distillery with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Russell’s Reserve 10 Year); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond).