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W.L. Weller 12 Year vs New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
W.L. Weller 12 Year and New Riff Bottled-in-Bond sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, wheat-forward classic versus a new-wave, rye-forward craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | W.L. Weller 12 Year | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | 12 years +8 yr | 4 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$70 – $180 | ~$38 – $45 ~$84 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- W.L. Weller 12 Year 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
W.L. Weller 12 Year
No notes yet.
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
W.L. Weller 12 Year New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/9 spice: W.L. Weller 12 Year 2 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10
sweetness 8/4 sweetness: W.L. Weller 12 Year 8 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
heat 3/6 heat: W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
oak 7/5 oak: W.L. Weller 12 Year 7 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: W.L. Weller 12 Year 6 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- W.L. Weller 12 Year: Twelve years on a wheated mash at a modest 90 proof, which is the combination that made this bottle famous. Deep caramel and baked fruit with polished rather than aggressive oak — the closest widely-discussed analogue to the Pappy profile.
- 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 W.L. Weller 12 Year if you want age and elegance on a wheated mash, and you are willing to chase 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 significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat (W.L. Weller 12 Year); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond).