Knob Creek 7 Year Small Batch Rye

Spicy but easy

Knob Creek 7 Year Rye opens with delicious fresh bourbon barrel character, followed by cherries, plenty of vanilla, and caramel. What impressed me most is how beautifully it keeps opening in the glass, revealing more spice and sweetness with time. The palate is rich in caramel, vanilla, and black pepper, with a surprisingly enjoyable fresh herbal note that reads more like spearmint or good chewing gum than harsh menthol. That freshness is natural, well integrated, and actually adds charm. The journey is not especially long, but it is very pleasurable, flavorful, and confidently made. A very successful rye with clear personality and real craft.

Nose. Herbal, grassy Palate. Spicy, herbal and grassy, salty, small vanilla Finish. Spicy, vanilla, very little grassy, oaky

Nose is nothing special, offering apple, pear and hearty cereal grains, but more as a unit instead of being individual guests to the party. You can tell what it is, but they all run together such that it somewhat dilutes the overall experience. Palate is rich and warm, not oily at all, but it does climb half way up my tongue before tapering out. The taste is where this finally makes a clean, clear break from its bourbon sibling. Yes, apples and caramel and vanilla, but also sharp allspice and star anise before tapering to a pleasant, drying finish where the pine notes finally makes an appearance. A splash of water doesn't change the nose, but amplifies the pine and to me somewhat ruins the overall balance. This is a nice drink, equally suitable for any cocktail that specifies rye and also standing on its own merits neat in a glass. A nice drink, and one that will join my house rye rotation with the equally affable Old Forester Rye.

Knob Creek Small Batch was one of the first ryes I really liked. It was approachable, soft, but also had a developed spicy and tannic rye flavor. It was also $10 more than others, so I drank it with more respect. Gave it a 4.25 in 2018. Now KC Small Batch has a 7 year age statement, and I have developed a taste for ryes over bourbons. So let's see. Tasting this neat. Deep red copper color and strong coating legs in the glass. Nose is vanilla oak and grassy rye in the background. On the palate, vanilla and brown sugar, toasted grain, tannic astringent oak, char, leather, and baking spices rise at the end. Creamy and coating mouthfeel. The finish grows from that grassy spicy taste to dried fruit and a long tingling finish of mint and sweet grass that makes the lips tingle. Dry, not overly sweet and not sour. Good balance. An ice cube softens the astringent quality but the tannins remain. Very nice. Gotta say for a 51%(?) rye mashbill this maintains a strong rye flavor profile. It's easy to sip and has some character, and easy to mix in an Old Fashioned or Manhattan. Maybe it's just familiar, but I still think it's a solid aged rye (7 years!), especially at 50% abv and this $38 pricepoint.

Pretty spicy and toasty. A bit of heat

Herbal rye aroma with a slight honey aspect with caramel and vanilla notes. Really clear gold color. Slightly spicy toasted oak and a slightly robust flavor profile.