Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Bourbon

Initial smell is mostly caramel with little heat. Writing after a third pour. Unitas taste is sweet caramel, a bit of sweet heat, but not overpowering at all, middle tasting is of cherries and a very small hint of oak. Finishes with a little caramel and heat taste that lingers. A store pick that makes a fine sipper. Barreled on 5/24/11 bottled 12/2/20. Warehouse 1, Floor 5, Rick 5.

Total Wine pick from Gilbert AZ. Aged 9 yrs. (Since I already have reviewed the core product, this review will focus on the differences between this pick and the “standard” version) Nose has the lovely Jim Beam peanut funk along with a heavy oak presence, and surprisingly low ethanol given the proof. Palate features the standard peanut+cherries+oak profile, but with some of the rougher edges smoothed out (as I have found to be the case with many a KC pick). Kentucky Hug in full effect. There are some similarities between this and a not-the-best Booker’s batch, but I actually mean that as praise. A rounder, more integrated experience than the standard and a big improvement, but woefully short of the famous (infamous?) 14-15 yr KC picks that are no longer available. At $57, this is darn good but falls short of great. Will buy more KC store picks in the future, but is there any reason we need to go from 14-15 years all the way down to 9? Can we get some say, 11-13 yr picks?

Good flavor but too much alcohol

Twice Barrelled Rye Nose: cherry, corn, cinnamon Taste: spice, chocolate, citrus?, toasted marshmallow

5/13/2004 - 8/12/2019 (15y) pick from Cork & Barrel in Lexington KY. Warehouse WL, floor F-03, Rick R-034. Such a great find, paid $80 knowing that 1) this is a unique pick and 2) this is literally a mom and pop wine and bourbon shop. Why finally rate this now? It’s been open and poured several times. It kept me from buying the KC 15y red label limited edition because, well, this is 120 proof and less expensive. Again, luck. I’m sipping this again thanks to Kentucky Senator Bourbon. Another 15y pour, likely Beam but possibly contract distilled with a unique mash bill and bottled at 107 proof. So much fruit and peanut, but more citrus than I recall with most KC and any Bookers I’ve tasted. This pour, the KC 15y 120 proof find... the same citrus eaters are there. The oak is there. Cinnamon rolls with warm cream cheese icing also on the nose... Body is heavier but the yeasty rye notes are basically that of Kentucky Senator. There is cherry, cinnamon, cedar, rye bread, brown sugar. Damn. Why did I pay $200 for an NDP tote and $80 for this clearly labeled bottle. Now the finish and complexity, well, frankly doesn’t quite match the Kentucky Senator. How I’m not sure... This has more brown sugar and is less tannic. The Senator is more rowdy. But this is more well rounded. I’m now convinced the 15 year NDP bottles that are going around on the ghost mash bill (Old Soul, Doc Swanson, Chicken Cock etc. with the 78.5/13/8.5) is Beam. It is not the 75/13/12 bill of KC but I would say the barrel staves, toast, char and yeast are the damn same. I love bourbon. I love that it keeps me guessing and helps create stories among friends. I love whisky for the same reason but am not sophisticated enough to afford most of it - and am no longer able to afford >$125 for the mystery mash bill of KY. That said, I will keep snatching up KC!