Knob Creek 9 Year Old

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.

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?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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..

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.