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Knob Creek 9 Year Old

Average score from 21 reviews and 88 ratings 84

Knob Creek 9 Year Old

Product details

  • Brand: Knob Creek
  • Bottler: Unknown
  • ABV: 50.0%
  • Age: 9 year old

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@RianC
Knob Creek 9 Year Old

I recently picked this up for £25, which is a very good price for such an age these days. Hadn't really planned on opening this until I'd finished off another bottle first but, hey, it's a lazy Sunday and I have a moment before making dinner, so why not?

Review is neat but sat for about 15 minutes and, yes, this is a first-pour review. Ooh, let's get crazy ;)

Nose - there's a note I'd describe as peanut shells which is quite prominent and it seems that this is something that appears in all the Beam products I've had. Some toffee, vanilla, oak, black pepper and cinnamon stick. Unusually, very little of the rose water note that I find is in most bourbons.

Taste - toffee upfront then more of that peanut shell note. Glazed, sticky nuts (pecans and Brazil) and more black pepper. Thin mouthfeel which is a tad disappointing and becomes drier as it develops.

Finish - short to med. Oak with some drying tannins and a little toffee hanging around.

Not bad, and certainly decent for the money, but it's not setting my world alight. That peanut shell (or over-dry nuts perhaps?) note is definitely front and centre and it's not one I would seek out. This strikes me as a decent session bourbon, and I suspect it will make a decent Old Fashioned, but this is only just about holding up as a sipper. It may get better with some air, let's not forget.

I wonder what it is that gives off that 'Beam' note? Yeast, perhaps?

@RianC thank you for your review. Air time might be helpful here.

I've tasted a few standard Knob Creeks from various batches, and found it to be a very batch variable bourbon. Some great. Some good. Some kinda 'meh'. For this reason I've never bought a 750 of this bourbon.

Now the Knob Creek SB Reserve 60% I like much better so far, and this is the one I buy...or should I say, have bought, because I have several in storage and it will take years for me to get to them.

About yeast, yeast is always a big deal. The ONE Beam bourbon that tastes to me unlike everything else they make is Baker's. I believe it is the yeast which is the big difference there.

@OdysseusUnbound

Knob Creek Small Batch 9 Year Old lost its age statement for awhile, but it’s back. Fred Minnick stated in a recent video that there’s “a ton of 9 Year Knob Creek in the Beam warehouses”. I was lukewarm on the KC Single Barrel at first but the bottle really grew on me with time. The 9 Year 100 proof Knob Creek is a bit more consistent from start to finish.

Tasting Notes

Neat from a Glencairn

  • Nose: vanilla, nutmeg, warm cornbread, caramel, damp oak
  • Palate: a little thinner than I would like, but it’s still easy to sip, caramel, damp oak, nutmeg, something a bit farmy (wet hay), a very faint nutty note, pecans maybe.
  • Finish: longer than I expected, yet still drying, vanilla, oak, “farminess”, cloves, brown sugar, pecans
  • Thoughts: Knob Creek isn’t as sweet as most bourbons. I like the dry, oaky character it’s got going on. I perceive the oak as damp, almost musty but in a very pleasant way. If I may permit myself a flight of fancy, I would compare it to being in an old barn during a rainstorm. KC is also my bourbon of choice for an Old Fashioned as the addition of simple syrup doesn’t take it into “cloyingly sweet” territory, and the bitters add a beautiful depth to the drink.

I wonder if the 'damp oak' note you refer to is the same one as what I described as 'peanut shell' in my review? I could certainly see how damp oak would go a ways to describing it. There's definitely a musty thing going on here.

Nice review, thanks. I hope this comes to UK shores but I'm not holding my breath at the moment.

My experiences with Beam products haven't been amazing but I did like the Booker's, so I know I can get on with it. I'd like to try this though - that OF description got my mouth watering too ...

@casualtorture

So im not much of a bourbon guy. I generally stick with single malts. But I've had the urge to branch out and try more American whiskey. I figured Knob Creek 9 would be a good place to start my rebirth since it is pretty mainstream and people seem to enjoy it. And Hank from Breaking Bad seems to favor it. Good marketing JB. I'm drinking it neat.

Nose: Sharply alcohol forward at first. Also caramel, chocolate, fudge and after time banana bread.

Palate: Alcohol backs off (thankfully). Starts really sweet with more caramel. Also brown sugar, cinnamon, and then a rush of tingly chili spices on the tongue. I really enjoy the spice, it really sets this apart from most single malts.

Finish: Medium, hot finish. After the spices die down the banana bread returns to round things off.

Overall: I still would say i'm a single malt guy. But this was enjoyable and in my 45-50% preffered abv range (although i seem to enjoy stronger whisky more and more). I look forward to continue branching out. JB says this is 50% corn. What do you guys speculate makes up the remaining recipe?

@casualtorture, I had lots of internal reactions when I read your review.

First, yes, bourbon as a class tastes a lot different from barley-malt whisky, because its grain composition, distillation process, and wood aging are completely different. Its main flavours are from new oak and rye (5% of the time wheat instead of rye) grain, whereas barley-malt whisky is flavoured from barley grain flavours, some re-used oak flavours, and often additions of peat, smoke, brine, and wine-cask flavours. Spice flavours are common in both new oak barrels and also in rye grain. They are also present in lesser amounts in re-used oak for the aging of barley-malt whisky. So yes, something like Glenfiddich 18 yo can get a lot of spices from the re-used oak barrels over the course of 18 years. But the spices from new and used oak, and from rye grain, are not precisely the same spices. Of course, there is more new oak aging with malts nowadays, and "first fill" (i.e. first re-fill) barrels, which still retain some of the new oak qualities, are very common now.

Second, experience with whisk(e)y-drinking of all kinds leads most, but certainly not all, whisky drinkers to become more and more tolerant of higher alcohol content whiskies. One who likes the flavours in whisky usually likes them more when they are more concentrated, as they are when water is not added to dilute what was originally in the barrel.

Third, about (standard) Knob Creek bourbon and batch variability. I've seen a lot of batch variability in it. I've had standard Knob Creek that I would have rated around 79 points, as you have, and I've had standard Knob Creek that I would have rated at 92 points. I don't buy standard Knob Creek because of that large variation in experiences I've seen from it. So far, I've only seen great barrels from the sister product Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve, 120 proof, so I trust that one a lot more. Standard Knob Creek Bourbon used to have a 9 year age statement in some markets which Beam Suntory has recently removed. They claim to be able to maintain the taste standards without using all 9 year old liquid. Can they? Maybe. But something has to be lost sometimes as a result, I would say. The Single Barrel Reserve is for the time being retaining the 9 year age statement.

Fourthly, Knob Creek Bourbon is standard Jim Beam mashbill. Here's a link to a blob which posts common bourbon mashbills:

whisky.com/information/knowledge/…

As you can see, this blog reports a mashbill of 77-13-10 for the standard Beam bourbon mashbill. Rye is so potent in flavour that even 13% rye content completely overshadows tasting any of the flavours of the 77% corn content. The same is true of the dominating flavours coming from new oak aging. If you age a 100% corn whisky even for 4 years in charred new oak barrels it becomes very difficult to taste any of the corn. Malted barley in the mix for bourbons and American ryes is only for the enzymes they generate. Like corn, barley has mild flavours which disappear into the background when paired with new charred oak and/or rye grain. You can really never taste barley in a standard bourbon or American rye.

Fifthly, try 20 or 30 American whiskeys before you start to make generalisations about them. Each and every one of us had a first malt, a first blended Scotch, a first bourbon, etc., which was at that time 100% of our experience with that respective genre...and we took that 100% of our experience very seriously. Your ideas will in all probability continue to change a great deal with experience. After that horrid bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label I bought 30 years ago I could have pontificated, "Scotch is terrible. I don't like Scotch, and I will never drink it again." But somehow I didn't do that. I knew that it was a big world, and there were more and different experiences to have. So I had many additional experiences, and do not now judge "Scotch" on the basis of that bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label. Truly, with a lot of experience you will see that you will sometimes get a shitty bottle from what you considered a sacred and reliable brand, and a very good bottle from a brand which you generally found to suck.

@Victor,

Your words ring true about making generalizations. I could not drink malted whisky until 10 years ago; even then, a top flight Irish was my gateway single malt. I was making the wrong selections. Bushmills 21 YO was responsible for my "eureka" moment. I had always enjoyed Ballantines and JW Black on ice, but standard release bourbon and long-aged Canadian whisky were my favourites, sipped neat or splashed with water.

Since joining Connosr 6 years ago, I have embraced the fascinating world of single malts. Excellent guidance from some very generous enthusiasts has helped to make this an enjoyable experience.

I encourage whisky lovers to explore all categories of whiskey and to become familiar with as many grains as possible. Blend and vat your own creations, learn about ratios and recipes, share with like-minded enthusiasts, but don't pass judgement quickly. I was a whisky drinker for 30 years before I discovered single malts. Does anyone remember Little Rascals and the HE-MAN WOMAN HATERS CLUB?...yep, girls were yucky at one time...sure am glad I didn't stick with that notion.

Bottoms up!

R

Spicy, and rigid up front. Slightly sweet, extremely oaky, light char. Faint butterscotch in there too. Overwhelmingly dominated by the spicy unrefined alcohol bite, overall I like it and largely for its rough around the edges body.

Any chance we could get more information on which Knob creek? Bourbon? Rye? etc..

@jack09

Nose: Light nose, not very aromatic at first, but becomes more fragrant, substantial, and sweeter as it sits in the glass. Sweet toffee, fresh sweet red apple, vanilla, oak, freshly kneaded dough, spices in the background.

Taste: sweet entry, sweet caramel, licorice and mint, spicy, thick syrupy mouthfeel, maple syrup. Goes down easily for a 50% abv.

Finish: medium length, licorice note, mint, bitter sweet, caramel and vanilla, spicy, turning dry and nutty, oaky.

Conclusion: this is a decent sipping bourbon. Nothing special or different though. Would I buy it again? Meh

@jack09, while I definitely agree with you that standard Knob Creek has the occasional 'off' batch, I cannot agree that a batch whiskey lacks character, by nature. Blending the barrels together gives the potential for some excellent combinations. Probably 95% of whiskies worldwide are 'batch' whiskies, blended from multiple barrels/casks. I have also tasted some excellent standard Knob Creek batches. And I say that as someone who is very partial to the single barrel expressions.

I think the broader observation I would make here is that with the endeavor of tasting a lot of whisk(e)y comes the experience that there is an enormous amount of variability in even the products with the same names and labels. So, for me, with standard Knob Creek Small Batch Bourbon, 1) I've had great Knob Creek, 2) I've had OK Knob Creek, and 3) I've had some shitty Knob Creek. My bottom line is the same as I wrote earlier: I wouldn't buy a bottle of it unless I tasted first from the same batch before buying it. Don't be too surprised if, someday, someone offers you a drink of Knob Creek and it is much better than your current bottle. I've had that exact experience with a lot of whiskies, including Knob Creek.

@Victor, the 60% abv barrel proof is a single barrel expression, so I would expect it to be better, with a clearer character. As for the regular 9 year small batch, something gets lost in the batching. We don't know how small the batch is. 50 barrels, 100, 200? The bigger the batching, the less character the bourbon has. I guess we can call the small batch 9 year a mass produced whisky.

@talexander

For the first time in ages, Maggie and I (and her friend) took advantage of snowmaggeddon and went tobogganing! She got a GT Snowracer for Christmas and she plowed down those hills like a demon. (Her friend fell off on her first descent, though, and conked her head - she gave up after that!!) Of course, we went for hot chocolate after and, while that warmed up the kiddies enough, Dad wanted something a little....hmmmm. I don't know......hmmmmm....something even warmer......

Knob Creek was launched by Jim Beam in 1992 as part of their Small Batch Bourbon Collection. It is made with the same high-rye formula as Basil Hayden's, as well as Old Grand-Dad.

The colour is a dark copper (with a tiny piece of wood floating in it! Love it!) On the nose there's a strong interplay of corn and rye, with black liquorice, salted caramel, baking spices and overripe strawberries. Buckets of vanilla, or course - very creme brûlée. Roasted almonds. With time you get damp humidor. Deep, rich, fantastic. I would avoid water, it just seems to tame everything without adding any complexity to the nose.

Quite mouth-drying to start (then salivating!), the palate features burnt caramel, pencil shavings and a mix of berries and dried fruits. Dark cherries as well. Cinnamon. Huge wood influence, and big rye spice. Water softens everything (which was disappointing) but it does bring out the sweet barley.

The finish is oaky, with more cigar ash, rum notes and lip-smacking buttery corn. This is a beautiful bourbon, one of my go-tos and probably my favourite of the Beam Small Batch Collection. Big and bruising, but also complex with lots of subtleties. With it being -20C outside, this does really warm the cockles of me heart.

Your favourite Jim Beam Small Batch bourbon? What!? You are stepping out on Baker's? After all of the good years Baker's has given you?...!!! Sure, you still list Baker's as your favourite on your profile page,...and then you step out the back door with Knob Creek...

Ha ha - I know! But something about this one has grabbed me lately. Of course, my profile page hasn't been updated since I signed up on the site. But in any case - who knows, I could try Baker's again next week and change my mind.......

@Megawatt

This is the bottle that started it all for me. A taste of this stuff was a revelation of how powerful and complex a whiskey can be.

Nose: very distinctive. Smoky and sweet, almost perfumed, with lots of charred wood. I've always found a hint of new leather in the aroma as well. Incredibly complex and bold.

Taste: big, full-bodied, with a huge spicy kick. Water softens the spices and allows a creamy malt-driven sweetness to emerge. But the predominant characteristic is still woodsmoke and charred logs.

Finish: very long. Once again the oak dominates. A pleasant fade which is consistent with all the flavours.

Balance: many years after first encountering this distinctive bottle, I find myself enjoying it every bit as much if not more than before. Some might find the oakiness overpowering. In any case this is a whiskey that which doesn't hold anything back. Great value and a fantastic pour overall.

@Nock

This is the favorite bourbon of another dear friend of mine. It was her favorite (until I let her taste some George T. Stagg 2010 release . . . that blew her mind). However, I have heard that it was much better in the past then it is today.

Nose: The most subdued nose of the night (compared to Maker’s, Woodford, and Evan Williams Black label). This nose is all about that brown sugar in the background. Easily the most complex nose yet. But it is a nose with depth that only hints at other flavors: flowers, honey, hay, stable barn, flapjacks, bacon, coffee and breakfast. Really lovely and complex. This is the most surprising nose for me. Tone: tenor.

Taste: Smooth and round. Sweet, but not that sweet (certainly the least sweet of this group). It is an interesting exercise in harmony: give and take; sharp and sweet; smooth and edgy. But really I can’t pick out more then bourbon plain and simple.

Finish: A big swell of apple cider and roasted apples followed by some spice (cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg) and some brown sugar. Surprisingly short with a hint of soap and bitterness. It starts out to be an interesting and enjoyable finish, but it ends up being the least enjoyable of the group.

Balance, Complexity: Extremely complex on the nose and even on the mouth. The balance on the nose and mouth are astounding. Really, it is a very poor finish that keeps this bottle out of high marks.

Color, Body, Aesthetic experience: Darkest amber of the night: very blood orange. I really don’t love the bottle shape or the letters (all bold and modern-ish). I like the age statement but this is my least favorite aesthetic bottle.

Conclusion: Not a bad bourbon. I loved the nose, but was disappointed by the finish. If the finish were better I could see why my friend enjoyed it. I would like it more if the price were more affordable in Virginia. Maybe I would try another batch.

Have you tried the single barrel version? I did recently, and it's not bad. It's similar in style to Booker's but not as oily and mouth-coating.

@WhiskyAndMe

Nose: As soon as you put this one to your nose it was like the glass in your hand had suddenly changed into a hot freshly baked banana muffin with a nice cinnamon crust on the top..which was yummy... this was followed by some strong notes of vanilla, wood, toffee and with some canned berries. Let it breathe for a bit and the nose shifts to bring out some ripe fruit (a bit orangy I'd say) notes...basically all these were like some one was rolling out the carpet for you to have the first sip

Palate: Nectar like sweetness was is how it begins as soon as the liquid hits the tip of your tongue .. and there's the burst of spice.. and some chewy liquorice that come soon after.. what I like the most is that all of these are just in the rite amounts with nothing coming out as too harsh..

Finish: There are some that vanish before you can get to them and there are other that turn your mouth all dry.. but this is one that is almost perfect.. absolutely smooth .. I mean for something that was bottled at 50%.. this was leaves an all soft and velvety feeling in your mouth..

@SquidgyAsh

I've always considered myself a whiskey man, ever since I hit the legal drinking age of 21 in the US. Actually I considered myself a whiskey man at the age of 18, when I enjoyed my very first whiskey and coke.

See I grew up thinking that that's how whiskey was drunk, always in coke or taking it as a shot. I knew no better. I drank pretty good whiskies, I remember at one point pouring Glenfiddich 21 year old in coke.

I know, oh the humanity!

This was my life for quite a few years, mixing whiskies, good and bad, into coke. And why might I do that if I considered myself a whiskey man, you may be asking yourself.

Because whiskey tasted like...well whiskey.

Alcohol tasted just like that, alcohol, burn. If it was good there might be a "smooth" in there, but that was the extent of my knowledge, of my palate.

And then one day the pain began, agonizing pain. My wisdom teeth were coming in, and even worse I couldn't afford a dentist. When I was informed I'd have to pay something along the lines of $600 to $800 a tooth, I went into shock. How the hell was I going to be able to pay that kind of bill, living on a very low wage, which left little money free at the end of the week.

Long and short of it, I couldn't. That wasn't an option.

So I drank. A lot. During the day while at work I used medicine that would do a half assed job of numbing your gums and mouth, but at night, every night for about a month, I drank.

I was actually drinking so much due to the pain that I was easily going through a couple of bottles of booze each week.

All of it mixed with coke. But thankfully the bottleshop was just down the street. Easy walking distance. And late one afternoon after work as I was walking home I stopped into the bottleshop for a resupply.

This time I picked up a new whiskey, a bourbon called Knob Creek. I knew nothing about this whiskey, but I figured what the hell it's $35 for a bottle, why not.

And so the night begins with me pouring the whiskey into coke, and as the night goes on the whiskey pours quickly account for more and more of the whiskey and coke, until it's more whiskey then coke.

And then something magical happens, the whiskey and coke changes, there's something else coming off my mixed drink. It's vanilla, lots and lots of vanilla, and some cherries.

My whiskey doesn't taste like whiskey! It tastes like something else, fruit and spices and vanilla and all sorts of things that don't belong in whiskey.

Thus began an obsession into whisk(e)y, trying to figure out what they smell like, taste like and why they are the way they are.

Then I moved to Australia and I discovered that Knob Creek was rare, quite rare, and bloody expensive at around $100 AUS a bottle.

My favorite American whiskey wouldn't be so easily obtained anymore. And so for several years I didn't even see a bottle of Knob Creek. And then while in Singapore I was able to finish the last of a bottle while visiting the Auld Alliance.

Yeah I fell in love all over again. And I FELL HARD.

So when I heard that 2400 bottles were coming into Australia I knew I had to get one. And tonight, New Years Eve, I've got this bad boy open and I'm enjoying my very last dram of 2013.

Let's get into this whiskey shall we!?

The nose is a fairly typical bourbon nose, but it's bigger, better.

Toasted oak, heaps of vanilla, red vine licorice, cherries, some low level rye spices, and rich caramel.

Time for a drink though!

Drying, rye spices, mints, red vine licorice (totally love it when that comes off my whiskey!), vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. It's delicious!

A long sweet, yet drying finish that's full of those red vines.

Love, love this whiskey. Cant exclaim that enough. Can't emphasize that enough, and at the $35 dollars a bottle or so that it runs in the USA, I'd ALWAYS have a bottle of this on my shelf. However sadly with how rare it's imported into Australia and at it's price tag, I'll save it for my special treat!

I always love a love story of a man in love with his whiskey.

That's a pretty scary dental tale, though, @SquidgyAsh. Your face can blow up like a balloon from putting that sort of thing off, you know. I've seen some of those mouths when people have been in pain and let it go for months...and the most blown away worst mouth I've ever seen was from an alcoholic Artillery Sergeant at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in about 1979..."It's pretty bad in there, doc" he said, in no pain whatsoever because of his self-medication and the fact that the damage had already been done. I thought "Yeah, yeah, I've seen bad." He wasn't kidding. Parts of 31 teeth remained, but 27 of them were decayed flat with the gum-line...it's good not to let it go that far, @Ash.

As for standard, non-single-barrel-reserve 50% Knob Creek, I wish I could say that I've seen consistency in the quality. I've had some which was quite excellent, and other batches, just ok. What I've had of the 60% Single Barrel Reserve has been top-notch.

Glad you enjoyed the story @Victor!

Wow some scary stories from you though! Long term self medication is never the answer as I found out, if nothing else you completely destroy your poor liver and won't be able to experience all the joys of the whisk(e)y world! Thankfully my wisdom teeth came in finally and the agony finally ended. Even better I'm now able to afford good medical care, but man when I was so poor that it was a struggle to pay rent and the rest of the bills it was unbelievable what medical care cost.

1200 bottles of the knob Creek Single Barrel came into Australia. I was able to pick up one thankfully. Now something awesome to look forward to!

@GotOak91

Hola gentlemen, I acquired this little mini as I was buying a mix and match 6 pk at a local liquor store. Amazing little bottle, its a little more square then the fifth and it still has a black wax dipped top.

Color: Dark Amber

Nose: Sweet notes of brown sugar, honey, caramel covered apple slices, and caramel corn. Kind of one dimensional with an underlying theme as you can see. But with time sweet mint, dry cocoa, cut lumber, and honeysuckle flowers dart their heads out of the caramel laden shadows just to fall back in.

Body: Full and rich. Tongue coating and tingling. Medium-thin yet very slow moving legs down the side of the glass.

Palate: Things take a turn from the nose. Going from a relaxing drive in the countryside on a sunny Sunday afternoon to twists and turns of racing through a storm in the woods. Spicier and a little bitter, a bit of a contrast from the nose. Notes of fall baking spices, a little pepper, nutty notes (i.e. walnuts and pecans) lots of oak comes along (fresh lumber, newly assembled barrels). Not similar to the nose at all to me anyways.

Finish: Lingering and drying oak notes, added tingling spices. Dries out the palate quite well.

Overall: Since I have a mini I cant see how this oxidises. Yet it is tasty, worth buying a fifth and trying again. Maybe a re-review later.

@GBrough

I got this over the weekend at a "cheaper" liquor store for 25.99 which honestly is not half bad. Nose: Vanilla, caramel, oak, cinnamon, spice Palate: Vanilla, caramel, oak, cinnamon, spice and some fruit Finish: Very long and tasty i get vanilla, caramel some spice and fruit. All in all an outstanding bourbon for a fair price sure it is not my baby wild turkey 101 but i would say it is just as flavourful and twice as drinkable.

J

Made as part of Jim Beams small batch range which I've greatly enjoyed so far. Hopefully this is as good as the Bookers and the Bakers bourbon.

Nose: Has nice overtones of spice layered with large smells of buttered corn, notes of nougat and caramel, nice notes of cooked vinilla and toasted oak.

Palate: Starts sweet and candy like, notes of sugar floss and sweet popcorn, some light honey, becomes dryer with nice notes of corn and breakfast grain, hints of cocoa, spice and oak.

Finish: Still dry but notes of Nougat, Nuts and other candy bar flavours arise, hints of browned butter and oak as it fades.

A Really nice bourbon. One that ticks all my boxes as well: It's well priced, it's delicious and it's above normal strength at 50%. If you like your bourbon this one deserves your attention.

@hunggar

I tried a little bottle of Booker’s bourbon from Jim Beam recently and absolutely loved it. After polishing off two 50ml bottles in two nights, I decided I’d explore bourbon a little bit further. I looked into the price of a big bottle, and here in Taiwan it’s roughly $85 CAN. Since I’d already tried it, I figured I’d opt for something cheaper since I’m trying to ease my way into bourbon. I did some research, and found that Knob Creek was an affordable and respected alternative. And, available here for roughly $25. Not bad. I’ve tried multiple bourbons before. Gentleman Jack, Maker’s Mark, etc. The standard stuff. None of them did it for me in the past. Maybe I should revisit them. Regardless, this is only the second bourbon that I’ve actually scrutinized as an enthusiast, so forgive me if I keep comparing it to Booker’s, the first one, which I absolutely loved.

Nose: Serious caramel, honey, maple, cola, oak, and spice. A faint hint of spearmint. Not quite as rich and layered as the Booker’s but for a fraction of the price, this is still quite substantial.

Palate: Thick and heavy, even with a bit of water to calm it. Very rich and mouth-coating. Caramel, white pepper, some herbal notes, and oak.

Finish: Oak, leather, spearmint, cherries, and spices keep on coming here. A few tobacco notes in there too. Quite a long and enjoyable finish. This is definitely the best part.

I’ve heard this described as a typically flavoured bourbon of quality. I’m a novice here, but it’s a good start-off point for me. It’s thick, flavourful, mouth-coating, and rich. The finish is definitely enjoyable. But, it simply doesn’t compare to the Booker’s in my book. The oak flavours aren’t as rich, there’s less of that lovely cherry presence, less of that wonderful burnt/charred quality, and it’s not as smooth or balanced. Well, it IS smooth and SOMEWHAT balanced, but less so than Booker’s, which is 17% stronger. It’s a very nice once-in-a-while alternative to single malts though, both flavorwise and pricewise. And, it’s something I’ll probably want to keep around in my cabinet from now on. Quite nice overall.

I felt the same way about Bourbon. Albeit, I've only tried a handful of them and the only one I really liked was The Pappy 15. I know, I jumped right into one of the best Bourbons in the world, but They have it here in a local restaurant in South Beach called: Yard Bird, and I couldn't resist. After that, nothing really stood up and said "Hello." Now, this past weekend I tried a sample of this knob Creek 50 abv and I really enjoyed it. Of course, its sharp and abrasive when compared to a fine single malt, but it was chuck full of big candied flavors. Now I'm really curious with their 120 proof single barrel. I hear its an All-American HotRod of a whiskey, and its relatively affordable $42.99.

Yes I've heard of that one, too. By all accounts it's a big step up. Sadly not available where I live...

m

Knob Creek was among the first Bourbons I tasted and years later it seems slightly more tamed than my first encounter with it. It doesn't quite pack the same wallop as I remember it having.

Nose: Classic bourbon nose. Molasses, fresh cut sugar cane, brown sugar,syrup, charred oak. This nose has a slight hint of flour as well along with fresh oak,all spice, and resin. Just by the smell you know your going to be drinking a dense and perhaps, challenging Whiskey. I'm up for the challenge! are you?

Palate: Immediately oaky. Rich, intense, full mouth feel but this intensity passed rather quickly. It starts slightly peppery which deceives you into thinking it's setting you up for a wallop and then the charred oak returns once the pepper settles down which is rather quickly and..... nothing. Tastes like your sucking on freshly cut sugar cane. But it's not the palate I expected. It punches lighter, below the weight ingrained in my memory...sigh.

Finish: Rather short to medium. Earthy notes. More charred oak. Some all spice and pine resin. Creamy, slightly vanilla oak notes as well along with some waxy honey comb.

But what of that wallop Whiskey that offered a challenge in my first battle with a bourbon? What of that bruiser that was for me, knob creek?! I just don't know what has happened. This Whiskey seems far from the beast I remember. Maybe it's the quality of this particular batch that's gone down but this knob is just not the same Whiskey I remember. It could also be that now, years later, I have a more discerning palate. But to me, it's less peppery, it's less rich, and just average now. It's palatable now, which makes it decent, but that's all Knob Creek is for me. Whiskey's with less ABV have a much better oomph! than this here Knob. Quite disappointing based on my previous memories. It's still decent though but no longer is it something memorable.

(Disclaimer: I'm new to the forum and relatively new to the bourbon scene so apologies in advance if my submission seems sophomoric) I am disappointed that Knob Creek has moved away from a cork and to a screw top. For me, it takes away from the "ritual" of the pour. I salivate at the pop of the cork and the subsequent rush of liquid over some ice...yes, sorry to offend the purists but I like all drinks chilled and that includes my bourbon....so shoot me. That sound signals the beginning of a whiskey experience I associate with Knob Creek; now gone forever.

To my point: does this change in packaging in any way influence the product inside?

@MyLoSyRo Packaging shouldn't influence how the product inside tastes. After all, it's just packaging. There are many decent Bourbons that come with a screw cap like the Wellers. But, as you have pointed out, it's a less formal, uncommon, way to package a spirit like Bourbon. It shouldn't affect sales, spirit quality, nor should it make Knob Creek whisky seem as if it's now a rubbish product. I think people will still buy it regardless of packaging as long as it maintains the quality of the spirit inside the bottle to a standard. However, if the spirits quality where to slide, cheap packaging could definitely exacerbate its negative image.

B

First review here, hopefully it's helpful.

Whiskey tasted neat.

Appearance: deep golden amber, fairly thick 'legs' when glass is tilted.

Nose: Initially a tad closed. A few minutes of air allows it to open up, revealing notes of caramel, maple, and light oak.

Palate: Flavored with strong maple initially, fading to light spice (cinnamon and clove mainly) with a faint touch of smoke. Bold oak flavor throughout, increasing in intensity over time. Rich and boldly flavored, but a tad unbalanced, with the oak dominating the sip (particularly towards the end). Quite easy to drink neat despite being 100 proof.

Finish: Medium-length and drying. Redolent of oak and slightly bitter wood resin with a bit of lingering maple sweetness and mild spice notes.

Overall impressions: A bold-flavored bourbon with some good flavours and strong wood notes that are interesting, but not overly complex and a little bit off-balance, with a dry, slightly bitter oak finish I didn't love. Good mouth feel and rich maple sweetness did combat this during the sip but the finish and the latter part of the sip itself were too heavy on the wood and resin. The nose needs a few minutes of air or a splash of water to open up.

Nice first review and welcome to the world that is Connosr

Thanks, GotOak91. I've been coming here for reviews for a while now and generally found it extremely useful.

j

Served neat. Smells of honey, brown sugar, and what I would describe as "sweet alcohol". The alcohol is noticeable but has a sweetness which makes it less strong.

This has a thick, full body. Smooth going down, but did leave a slight burn from my throat all the way to my chest which lingered, but I didn't necessarily find it unpleasant.

I enjoyed the flavors-- smoky maple syrup, brown sugar, smoky woodiness, and there was a spiciness from the slightly higher alcohol content. A few ice cubes could help cut it a little if you find it too strong, but I didn't find it necessary and enjoyed it neat.

Great finish which left a nice lingering sweetness. Overall this was a winner in my book. Solid, smooth, sweet and strong but not overpowering.

@Gocks

The Knob Creek 9 Year Old is a chardonnay colored bourbon with a mellow woody vanilla aroma. The flavor is a cereal sweetness and the finish is smooth with a slight floral vanilla. An enjoyable soft and smooth bourbon.

@GT2

Served neat. Pours a clear, light amber with some pretty nice legs forming along the edge of the glass. Nose begins with some big banana and cinnamon opening up into some sharp alcohol, oak, chili peppers, banana bread, jalapeño, honeycomb, small vanilla and sweet cherry. A little to much wood in the nose but complex. Taste is sharp, oaky, tannic...bananas foster coming through with massive alcohol presence piling on like no other with major alcohol heat and chili peppers. A little too spicy for me and wildly alcohol forward.

@tabendar

A nose of honey and cocoa with a touch of vanilla. Very sweet tasty with the influence of rum and return to honeycomb. Big in character and ends with an explosive finish.

@Spartan

A solid American bourbon. It is always consistent, always available, priced well and always great.

Any bar will always have the likes of Jack Daniels and Jim Beam. However, this would be my first choice when breaking away from the standard bar fare without breaking the bank.

Knob Creek can be consumed straight and is pleasant in a snifter due to its viscous texture and intense maple musky bouquet. However, I prefer it in a rocks glass with an ice cube or two, because it is intensely strong. This is the kind of whiskey that you want to swirl around in the glass while watching the legs creep down. It is POWERFUL, and is about as subtle as a death fart in a crowded elevator. It also melts ice more quickly than salt.

An inexperience whiskey drinker can appreciate it due to its sweetness, but I would certainly recommend a few ice cubes to dilute the high alcohol content.

It is perfect for a cold winter's evening, and goes very well in a flask for those times when you feel the hair on your chest thinning.

Reading your review this is exactly how I remember Knob Creek to be! As you so put it, it does indeed put the hairs back on your chest. I just don't know what has happened to this Whiskey. I just reviewed it and I am very disappointed with it.

I'm a fan of most of these Slightly above the norm bourbons, as and American which do you rate the most? I can't see past the Woodford reserve myself, the sweet toffee and smokey flavours blow me away.

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