Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 9 Year Old

@Victor...Nice review! At some point I'll probably have to grab a bottle and do a side-by-side taste with my KC 9yo once I crack it open (which should be very soon).

@Victor, good review, and thanks for bring to our attention this new expression. I would love to compare this to Booker's, which I assume is Beam's flagship small batdh offering, at cask strength around 63%, and matured 6 to 8 years. This Knob Creek SB sounds like something I'll have to try.

@AboutChoice, as you might expect, there is more depth to the wood flavours with the Knob Creek, due to longer aging, than there is with the Booker's. This Single Barrel expression is just the best hand picked barrels coupled with bottling at or near barrel proof, which will retain all of the flavours. I will be very surprised if you don't like this one.

It seems everyone is putting out decent top-shelf stuff, even Jim Beam. This and the Bookers are definitely on my 'get ahold of soon' list. Nice review!

@AboutChoice and @jdcook, compared to Booker's, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve bourbon tastes sweeter and more lush. And, even though their ABVs are not much different from one another, the alcohol in the Knob Creek SBR does not come across in such a fierce and penetrating way as it does with the Booker's Small Batch.

KC SBR is my new favorite bourbon. As I type, I am enjoying(surviving) my first taste of Booker's and I feel your assessment of Booker's vs KC is spot on. Booker's is a sledgehammer to KC SBR's comfy pillow...

As I mentioned in another KCSB review, I am hoping to pick up a bottle in the near future. After re-reading this review, I can't wait to do a side-by-side with my Bookers bottle. Thank you again 'Victor' for the excellent 'genealogical' info in this review, particularly with respect to its shared mashbill with the Bookers.

@Victor. How would you rate this to Bookers?

@Benancio, I've only owned one bottle of the Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve, which was really excellent. I've tasted several batches of Booker's, including the Booker's 25th Anniversary Limited Edition. In general I rate Booker's and Knob Creek Single Barrel very close to one another in points. The KCSBR I've had has been a little more dense and lush than the Booker's (it is aged 9 years, compared to 6-8 years for the standard Booker's), but I can't say that I've sampled more than that one bottle. I think that the definitive comparison would depend upon the specific batch of Booker's or the specific barrel of Knob Creek SB Reserve being sampled. That said, Booker's is at a little higher ABV, which I like,...BUT, Knob Creek Single Barrel is, at US domestic prices, a steal of a good deal for the money. Really I think that on average KCSB will be the equal to Booker's, but that it is more likely that there will be a lesser barrel of KCSB once in awhile than that there will be a lesser BATCH (easier to blend to style)of Booker's. I think that it is hard to go wrong with either one of them.

@Victor. Great comparison. The KCSB was more drinkable, what ever that means. I thought it is was because Bookers was stronger, but I forgotten the KCSB is a 9 year old compare to a 6-8. I'm seeing some really good deals here this pre holiday season. $26 for KCSB and $38 for bookers. I'm a drinker slash collector and not the other way around. I might get them both, I try to buy when things are on sale, plus it lasts for years.

@Benancio, those are bargain basement prices you've got there!...even a little better than here on sale, and our prices here are phenomenal on many things. By all means buy them both!

@Victor Great review and great comments. I have an opened Booker's and an unopened KCSB. But from my reading, I would have never thought to compare the two of it. It's a bit like trying to compare a barrel's wine with an inox's wine: they are both starting with the same juice but they are not aiming at the same target... at least I thought it was the case. But I have to admit that the KCSB seems bigger after reading your review. So is it a must do comparison?

@Robert99 In no way am I answering for Victor but they are both Jim Beam products. When you taste them side by side you will see the resemblance. I wouldn't be surprised if they aren't the same mash bill. I call KCSB, Bookers little brother. They are a couple of bulldogs.

@Robert99 and @Benancio, yes, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve and Booker's should be both from just the same grain mashbill. I expect that the yeast used is just the same here, as well.

What differentiates them? Probably just 1)the way that the barrels were selected. Single Barrels have to stand alone. Small Batch barrels can accomplish a taste profile through blending and compromise. Whether or not there is anything specific in the taste profiles which Jim Beam is consciously seeking by which to differentiate these two product lines is not to my knowledge revealed by them, 2) the relatively minor differences in ABV, and 3) the specific barrels chosen in each case, which are the ones we taste, and the ones which define the respective products

@Victor and @Benancio I knew there is a chance that there coming from the same mashbill, but by my reading I was under the impression the KCSB was going for more gentle spices and wood than Booker's. So thank you Victor for pointing the difference between Single Barrel's and Small Batch, not that I wasn't aware of it but I simply was not paying attention to the meaning of these Bourbon's names. Of course a profile for Single Barrel's are tougher to achieve and maybe not desirable since each barrel is pick precisely for is singularity. And Benancio, I am sure I will find a ressemblance since, for me, all Jim Beam line has a common (but unique to JB) nutty profile. So maybe my concern was really about the way the alcool was coming through, but now that I know that KCSB is bigger than I tought, I do understand why people are comparing. And I am sure I will enjoy it! Cheers!