Knob Creek Small Batch Bourbon (NAS)

Between a busy travel schedule for work and simmering over the new tariffs on some of my favorite things, I’m getting behind on my whisk(e)y reviews. I did a simple lineup of 3 budget bourbons (about $25 or less) earlier this week. Let’s see how Knob Creek’s Small Batch Bourbon stacked up. Mashbill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley ABV: 50.0% Price: $25.99 Nose: Rich, sweet, and spicy. Amber honey, vanilla, leather, cream, almond paste, dark cherry. Herbal notes. Intriguingly complex. Palate: The nose didn’t mislead. Lots of flavors and textures here. Rich, full, sweet, and spicy. Toffee, rye spice, almond paste, cherries, a touch of mint, and oak. A little bit of herbs and salt. A nice flavor profile, but a touch rough on mouthfeel and execution. A splash of water tamed the unevenness a bit but brought more bitter notes forward for me. Finish: Warm and sweet, then drying astringency with whiffs of cherries. This dram hangs around. A bit brash and rowdy, this bourbon doesn’t go down as smoothly as many others I’ve had, so despite its relative complexity at this price point, that (and the bitter off-note) hurts its score a little bit. It’s a decent dram, but I’d reach for other bottles* in this price range before this one. 3.0 ~ 76 ~ Average *As the great equalizer in my tasting, Eagle Rare 10 won against the Knob Creek and the other 2 bourbons I tasted when I added it to the competition. Tough VFM to beat!

Banana bread, vanilla and cloves