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Russell’s Reserve 10 Year vs New Riff Single Barrel
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year and New Riff Single Barrel are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is proof (90 vs. 105).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Russell’s Reserve 10 Year | New Riff Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| 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 +5 yr | 5 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +15 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$40 – $50 ~$18 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- 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 Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/9 spice: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
heat 4/7 heat: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
sweetness 6/4 sweetness: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
oak 8/6 oak: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 8 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year 3 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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 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 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.
- 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.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Russell’s Reserve 10 Year); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).