Knob Creek Cask Strength Straight Rye (Batch 2)

This is the 2010 cask strength to follow up to the 2009 version that was Whisky Advocates 2nd whisky of the year in 2018. I really enjoyed the 2009 version and was hoping to get another when I went to the Jim Bean Urban Stillhouse in Louisville a few years ago, but ended with a recommendation from one of the employees for the 2010 which he claimed is better, plus it has a nice boost of 63.5% compared to the 2009 of just 59.8%. I asked if they had any bottles open to get a taste before buying, sadly they did not. My brother and I debated buying a whole bottle, since we only had room for four bottles to bring back in our luggage. We decided to just get a glass of something else and sit and enjoy watching the whisky rollercoaster there at the Stillhouse. After a few pictures and texts of the whisky rollercoaster to friends, and my brother and I plotting out how best to build one in our own living spaces at home - because what whisky enthusiast doesn’t have a bottle storage issue - including app design to bring the right bottle to you when you want it instead of digging through cabinets, we finished our drinks knowing this dream would probably never be a reality. We finally decided to settle for something more financially palatable than a whisky rollercoaster and went for the recommended 2010 bottle to find out if it is really better than the 2009 cask. After pouring a glass, I discovered that it’s best to let it rest for a few minutes as that proof can be overpowering with all that alcohol. But after a few minutes the alcohol blast will calm down and give you a much better nose of rich velvety rye caramel cream, baked apples, orange zest, cinnamon rolls, maraschino cherry, leather, black peppercorns, peanut shells and toasted marshmallow. The taste is medium body with a velvety caramel mouthfeel that transitions to loads of fruit, peach, orange, cherry, baked apples, and peanut shells then medium oak tannins come in with pepper and baking spices transitioning to a long finish with the fruits lingering. Do I think this is better than the 2009 version? Yes. I tasted the 2009 side by side with the 2010 and found the 2009 to be more spice forward whereas this is more of a fruit-forward rye. Both are amazing whiskies and I would be happy to have either of them, but my preference leans more towards that fruitier rye than all the spice. But this is a personal choice.

Rich, estery rye spice, fully saturated with a good amount of oak.

More mature than some but unnecessarily hot. Still classic KC character underneath.

Very good. Not as spicy as I had expected. Big on fruit, peach and apple on the nose. Lots of orange zest on the finish.