One of my “big five” bourbons I always recommend to newbies. (The others are the mainline offerings from Buffalo Trace, Elijah Craig, Four Roses, & Woodford Reserve). These are five bourbons you can generally get under $30 a bottle and are not only great representations of bourbon but also very consistent and damn drinkable. Nose: rich maple sugar with hints of peppercorn and maybe cinnamon Palate: balanced between vanilla and baking spices with hints of caramel Finish: short to medium, with a little clove from the rye spice at the end It’s hard to find a better 100-proof bourbon at the price point of Knob Creek Small Batch. If you like this then you’ll love the Knob Creek Single Barrel, one of the best bourbons on the shelf year after year.