Knob Creek 12 Year Small Batch Bourbon

tldr: I don’t know if I’d pay more than retail for this (about $65 in KY) but it’s definitely good at its price point especially considering the lack of 12-year options on the shelves. Nose: sweet honey, raisins, cinnamon, hunts of grass and hay...oak finally comes in at the end but it’s by no means an oaky bourbon even at 12 years. Taste: spicy nutmeg and other baking spices, hint of peppercorn and one last hint of honey Finish: medium finish, very little bite This reminds me a lot of Old Forester 100, which is way cheaper and super easy to find. That just doesn’t have the complexity of the KC12yr. But both are excellent bourbons.

Nose is pepper and pretty thin. Pepper overtone and small burn up front. Very sweet and fruity undertone that rolls through the finish. Not much in the middle and a flat finish. A bit of oil and syrup in the mouth feel.

Musty sweet caramel nose. Great mouth feel begins by enveloping the palate is sweetness and finishing on a long oak note.

Haymarket Whiskey Bar

Drammers Club pour. Favorite of the common stuff from the distillery. Nose: Caramel, Chocolate, Raisins, Cherries, Vanilla, Oranges, Apricots, Pepper, Cinnamon, Treacle, Pecan Pie, Baking Spices, Peach Marmalade, Pineapples, Peanuts Palate: Caramel, Chocolate, Peanuts, Pecans, Cherries, Walnuts, Vanilla, Dried Fruit, Red Apples, Banana Bread, Maple Syrup Finish: Caramel, Cherries, Dried Fruit, Toffee, Red Apples, Bananas, Maple Syrup

My brother and I split this bottle during quarantine. We also bought Four Roses Small Batch Select 2 weeks prior so I had the opportunity to compare both of these new $60 bottles in terms of value. Rich, dense sweetness is prominent on the nose. A creamy nut butter with caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a little vanilla added to the mix. For 100 proof the ethanol nose is almost non-existent, in contrast with the KC Small Batch where I get much hotter oak and ethanol. On the tongue the caramel and cinnamon hit first, followed by tannic oak and baking spices. I get some dry, leathery notes as well from the tannins. The finish is medium and oily, and surprisingly the tannic flavors on the back end of the tongue disappear quickly. For me what's notable about this bourbon is I get no fruit flavors whatsoever aside from hints of citrus peel. If I got a little dark fruit sweetness I may have rated it higher. I know they're not similar products, but Four Roses and Knob Creek added two permanent $60 bottles in the last year. I've bought both in the last 3 months, and I think the Knob Creek 12Y is a better buy than the Four Roses SB Select. You get a high age statement, almost the same proof, and a marked improvement over the standard Small Batch bottle. The flavors are richer with this one.