The same bourbon, three years apart. Knob Creek is made at the Jim Beam distillery in Clermont, Kentucky, and takes its name from the creek that ran near Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home in Kentucky. The brand was built on pre Prohibition style bourbon: fuller bodied, higher proof and aged considerably longer than most standard bottlings, batched in relatively small numbers of barrels for consistency. Knob Creek 9 Year is the flagship, aged nine years and bottled at 100 proof. It pours a deep amber and opens with rich caramel, vanilla and toasted nuts, then delivers a full bodied palate of sweet oak, brown sugar and baking spice over a firm backbone, closing long, warm and slightly smoky. It is a bourbon that has earned its reputation as a bartender staple and an everyday sipper that punches well above its price. Knob Creek 12 Year takes the identical mash bill and proof and adds three more years in the barrel. That extra time shows up as depth rather than heat: darker caramel and toffee on the nose, dried fruit, dark chocolate and leather on the palate, and noticeably more oak tannin structure carrying through a long, dry finish. Because both are bottled at exactly 100 proof from the same recipe, tasting them side by side isolates a single variable, which is maturation. Few pairings make the effect of extra barrel time this legible, and it is a genuinely instructive comparison for anyone learning how bourbon develops. Both bottles carry Knob Creek's distinctive flask shaped glass and black wax dipped neck, which makes the pair look as good as it tastes. An excellent gift for a bourbon drinker and a smart way to explore a single brand in depth.
ABV / Proof
| Knob Creek 9 Year ABV |
50% |
| Knob Creek 9 Year Proof |
100 |
| Knob Creek 12 Year ABV |
50% |
| Knob Creek 12 Year Proof |
100 |
| Size |
2 x 750ml |
| Country |
United States |
| Region |
Kentucky |
| Type |
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Small Batch |
| Distillery |
Jim Beam Distillery, Clermont, Kentucky |
| Producer |
Beam Suntory |
| Ages |
9 Years and 12 Years |
Tasting Notes
Knob Creek 9 Year: Rich caramel, vanilla and toasted nuts, then sweet oak, brown sugar and baking spice with a long, slightly smoky finish.
Knob Creek 12 Year: Darker caramel and toffee, then dried fruit, dark chocolate and leather over firm oak tannin, finishing long and dry.
FAQ
What is included in this bundle?
One 750ml bottle of Knob Creek 9 Year and one 750ml bottle of Knob Creek 12 Year, both at 100 proof.
What is the difference between the two?
They share the same mash bill and the same 100 proof. The 12 Year spends three additional years in oak, giving it more depth, dried fruit and tannin structure.
Where is Knob Creek made?
At the Jim Beam distillery in Clermont, Kentucky.
Where does the name come from?
Knob Creek is named for the creek that ran near Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home in Kentucky.
What does small batch mean here?
Each bottling is married from a relatively small number of barrels rather than a large blend, which helps keep the profile consistent.
Where can I buy this Knob Creek bundle online?
Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
