Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 9 Year Old

As many folks who know me are aware of Knob Creek 9 year old is the whiskey that made me fall in love with both whisky and whiskey. It's the spirit that started me on my journey.

When it came into Australia I knew I needed to pick up a bottle, and I did, very happily. However the 9 year old single barrel, bottled at 60%, also came in, albeit in extremely limited quantities, I knew that I'd also have to pick up a bottle of this, especially given the fact that all of my American friends were telling me how much better it was then just the normal Knob Creek.

A very long day today, spent chatting whisky with newly made friends, and Knob Creek came up. I'd ended 2013 on the 9 year old and after the conversation today I knew I needed to crack open the single barrel.

So after a nice hot shower (who the hell takes a hot shower in Perth in the summer?! I mean seriously!?) I sat down to an episode of Justified, one of my favorite new TV shows, pulled up Facebook to do whisky related stuff, and cracked the bottle.

Into one of my trusty glencairns it goes, and I give the glass a look and a nose. It's oily, clinging to the glass with thick legs that slowly ooze down, and the nose hits me.

It's an aroma that I haven't smelled in forever, but brings back childhood memories. What the hell is that?!

BUTTERED POPCORN!

Oh that's awesome, and following the buttered popcorn are ripe cherries, red vine licorice and then the buttered popcorn resurfaces.

Caramel, Ooodles of vanilla, heaps of cinnamon, rye, nutmeg, brown sugar, maple, the nose is Knob Creek on steroids. It starts off sweet, but as the whisky opens up in the glass the spices really start to shine.

Time for a taste though...let's see how the palate holds up.

Delicious!

First the buttered popcorn, caramel, charred oak, vanilla, red vine cherries, then heaps of rye and spices, cinnamon and nutmeg, and a hint of leather. Again the whisky starts off sweet then goes quite spicy, especially with rye.

For myself the 60% was extremely mellow, with no intense burn.

The finish is long, intense, sweet and spicy, and as it tapers off the cherries linger on and on.

My friends in the states had informed me that this was by far the better bottling of Knob Creek and I'm pleased to see that they were indeed correct. This is an excellent bourbon, one that I'd love to have on my shelf all the time.

Price point runs around $110 to $120 in bottleshops over here, but can be difficult to find as in this shipment into the country there were only 1200 bottles.

Now if you'll excuse me I do believe I need another bottle of this.

Find where to buy Knob Creek whisky