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Uncle Nearest 1856 vs New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Uncle Nearest 1856 and New Riff Bottled-in-Bond sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, classically built bottling versus a new-wave, rye-forward craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Uncle Nearest 1856 | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$38 – $45 ~$21 less |
- Uncle Nearest 1856 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
Uncle Nearest 1856
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Uncle Nearest 1856 New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 5/9 spice: Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10
sweetness 7/4 sweetness: Uncle Nearest 1856 7 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
oak 7/5 oak: Uncle Nearest 1856 7 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
heat 5/6 heat: Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Uncle Nearest 1856 4 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Uncle Nearest 1856: Named for Nathan 'Nearest' Green, the enslaved distiller who taught Jack Daniel, and now backed by the brand's own distillery in Shelbyville. Sweet and maple-leaning with the charcoal-mellowed softness of the style.
- 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 Uncle Nearest 1856 if you want a sweet, maple-forward Tennessee whiskey with a story worth knowing behind it.
- Go with New Riff Bottled-in-Bond if you want aggressive rye spice and a dry, herbal profile from a modern craft distillery at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Uncle Nearest 1856); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond).