Until now, most Knob Creek has been bottled at 9 years of age or younger for good reason: There’s no guarantee that bourbon will taste good after a dozen years in the barrel—let alone great. This one is richly complex from the start: York Peppermint Pattie, raisins, baking spice, dark chocolate-covered cherries, iced tea, and tobacco barn appear on the nose, followed by a chewy, full palate laden with cinnamon, allspice, and ginger, and perfectly balanced with sweet berry cobbler, chocolate ganache, and caramel. The finish goes on and on. Add in a fair price and excellent availability as part of Knob Creek’s core lineup, and only one question remains: What are you waiting for? Number 2 in the 2020 Top 20

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Winter 2020)

This limited-edition rye from Knob Creek beat the odds to rise to number two by flexing its muscle to impress tasters from both the U.S. and the UK. Superlatives were in good supply: intense, massively chewy, huge, very bold, aggressive. This 9 year old, unfiltered, cask-strength bottling simply presents heaps of flavor for a fair price. Caramel-drizzled flan, charred marshmallow, and honey-roasted peanut aromas lead to mouth-filling flavors of tropical fruits, citrus oil, and peach nectar. Lemony bright with cinnamon and peppery spice galore, it’s surprisingly drinkable at proof, but water really unpacks the flavors. Number 2 in the 2018 Top 20 

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2018)

One sniff is like opening a box of chocolates—plenty of different aromas, from raspberry filling to pecans to spice, but all suffused with cacao, an impression borne out by the rich, full palate. Think dark chocolate torte, cocoa-dusted truffles, bits of semi-sweet baker’s chocolate broken off the bar and snuck into the mouth. More cocoa powder, toasted nuts, and polished oak on the finish, which is shot through with cinnamon and pepper.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2020)

This new single barrel expression of Knob Creek tastes very similar to the original “small batch” Knob Creek (when brought down to the same alcohol level). If anything, it’s slightly drier, more elegant, not as heavy on the palate, and more sophisticated — but I am reaching here. The similarity is a good thing, because I really enjoy the original expression. Keeping in mind that no two barrels are exactly alike, your decision to purchase the single barrel might just come down to whether you want to pay a little more for a higher strength version, and whether knowing that it might taste a little different than the standard small batch bottling excites you. This is a stylish, big, broad-shouldered bourbon with a thick, sweet foundation (nutty toffee, pot still rum, maple syrup) peppered with spice (cinnamon, but also vanilla and evergreen) and dried fruit. Dry, warming, resinous finish. (Incidentally, I would rate the small batch within a point or two, and the tasting notes would be very similar.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2010)

Dripping with caramel and tingling with spice, this is a blockbuster whiskey that delivers across a spectrum of flavors. Maple syrup, sugar in the raw, and caramel-drizzled flan highlight the aroma, while the palate turns fruity and tropical with the sweet drive of peach nectar, grilled fruits, and pineapple upside-down cake. At the same time, it’s lemony bright, warmly spiced, tremendously rich, and oh-so-good! Pour on the water and enjoy the ride!

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Fall 2018)

Coca-Cola, rich spice, dark chocolate, roasted walnuts, licorice root, maple syrup, Luxardo cherries, and varnish on the nose. Without water, the palate is chewy and full of puckering tannins; add a few drops to unleash dark chocolate, candied ginger, cooked berries, tea leaf, walnuts in maple syrup, black pepper, and a hint of orange oil. The lengthy finish offers chocolate-covered cherries, black tea leaves, and white pepper. Layered and engaging. Editors' Choice

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2020)

Think caramel bomb. Once you pass the crème brûlée, caramel chew, and other variations of the confectionary, vanilla custard, pumpkin, toasted pecan, raisins, light German chocolate cake, praline, tobacco, cigar box, sandalwood, and earth surface. It’s mouth-coating, covering every inch, tingling from the palate’s roof to the back of the neck. The incredibly long finish sits there with caramel. The only knock here is that caramel can be overwhelming, but it’s also bourbon’s staple note. (New Hampshire only)

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Fall 2016)

Candied cherries and oranges on the nose, along with a note of fresh blueberry and a blast of cinnamon. Smooth on the front palate, with flavors of cinnamon gum, cooked dark berries, old leather, and dunnage warehouse floor. Water brings out chocolate and vanilla, as well as dark fruits and white pepper. A lengthy finish offers savory herbs, bitter chocolate, fresh coffee beans, and roasted walnuts. Great texture and well-balanced throughout.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2020)

Wonderful opening of cigar humidor and tack room, it presents vibrant caramel and vanilla, but really shines with complex fruit, spice, and nuts. Baked apples, canned pears, blackberries, and strawberry jam meet white pepper, followed by roasted walnuts and honey. Then resounding nutmeg appears, with slight hints of smoke, chipotle, and earth. The long finish rekindles the caramel note from the beginning. Must-have sipper.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Fall 2017)

Creamy and rich on the nose, with vanilla bean, tiramisu, and milk chocolate, melding with orange peel, lemon, and fresh rye notes. Deep red fruit and lots of spice on the palate, with chocolate and pepper, then softening into milk chocolate, plum tart, and caramel apples. Rich fruit notes, baked fruit tart, coffee, chocolate, and spice on the finish. Balanced fruit cup sweetness, spice, and chocolate overall.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2022)

Knob was one of the first bourbons I had when I started taking whiskey seriously, and it’s still a kicker. No-nonsense, flint-hard nose: slickly-polished oak furniture, cinnamon stick, cracked rye, wet cornmeal, hard candies. Bang! A lean whiskey that gets in your mouth and explodes with rye spice and cinnamon candy, a sharp wedge that opens you right up. The finish echoes: oak, a dying fire, clean and almost crisp. Emphatic, bright, and swift. Value Pick

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Fall 2014)

When the caramel train comes, it rarely returns after such strong earthy notes of roots, hay, and soil. It’s the same story in the next round: first, pan-fried sweet potatoes and parsnips dominate; caramel returns with vanilla, allspice, and white pepper. Then the odd but welcomed combo of campfire-smoked marshmallows and gingersnaps just before a long caramel finish. Very unique.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Summer 2017)

A portion of this limited-release straight bourbon is aged in new charred oak quarter casks, which enable more contact with the wood. The nose offers vanilla, licorice, dried herbs, red fruit, confectionary sugar, iced tea, and orange peel. A chewy palate shows off the oak influence, and has notes of spice, chocolate-covered candied oranges, blackberry compote, cinnamon, and peppercorns. Drying oak on a finish of dark cherry, chocolate, orange, and cola.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Winter 2019)

Booze candy from Beam? More like bacon in a glass: the sweet smokiness invaded my dining room (definitely the last tasting of the day). Richly smoky-sweet, with a clear balance of maple over corn; like a rustic breakfast of bacon, pancakes, and whiskey! The maple’s restrained and authentic, the 45% keeps it from being too sweet, and there’s plenty of good bourbon flavor here, especially at the finish. Lush, tasty; if you have to do flavors, here’s how.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Fall 2014)

Gentle notes of lilac, sweet perfume, and rye bread are underscored by orange blossom, spearmint, and blueberry. Heaps of spice—clove and cinnamon hearts candies—will delight rye fans, as the mix of berry fruits and lively spices really comes to life with water, revealing bitter citrus pith, black pepper, vanilla, and a finish of generous char and tobacco smoke.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Spring 2019)

There’s a marriage here, one of perfect harmony; fruit, floral, spice, sweet, and expressive toasted oak. Then the broad genres become specific: the fruit is cherries; the floral, a hint of lavender; the sweet, an array of toffee, caramel, and vanilla, until its spice complexity kicks in, showing allspice, white pepper, Spanish anise, and nutmeg. Its proof never shows, but the medium finish is just a touch short to make this truly special. (New Hampshire only)

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Fall 2016)

At first it’s a smorgasbord of cotton candy, vanilla, caramel, tapioca pudding, honey, and salted caramel. Then spice-bomb reality sets in with nutmeg, cinnamon, anise, and ginger. Finally, the spice gives way to caramel over cornbread, malt, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. The medium finish ends what was developing into a great whiskey; alas, much is to be desired.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Summer 2017)

Unlike the Knob Creek bourbons (which are 9 years old), there’s no age statement with this new rye, which tastes relatively younger. It’s bracing, vibrant, and spicy. (The rye contribution is unmistakable.) Cinnamon spice and crisp mint dominate, with charcoal, botanicals, ginger, nutmeg, honeyed fruit, vanilla, and caramel. Warming spice finish. Its dynamic personality should shine in cocktails, but from a sipping, drinking neat perspective, I wish it was a little older like its siblings.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2012)