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Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond vs New Riff Single Barrel
Comparing Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond and New Riff Single Barrel reveals a matchup between a traditional, even-keeled Kentucky staple and a modern, spice-driven craft expression.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond | New Riff Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 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 | ~$16 – $22 ~$44 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 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
Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 5/9 spice: Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
sweetness 6/4 sweetness: Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
oak 5/6 oak: Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond: A bonded 100-proof bourbon at a price that barely seems possible, though distribution is patchy outside Kentucky. Unremarkable in the best way: it does everything a bourbon should and nothing extra.
- 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 Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded Kentucky bourbon for under twenty dollars, if you can find it in your state.
- 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, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Very Old Barton Bottled-in-Bond); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).