Swahili1
Knob Creek 15 Year Bourbon (2020 Release)
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed
June 27, 2020 (edited September 10, 2020)
Taste- 2 oz. neat in Glen cairn
Nose- departure from the usual boiled peanuts, caramel, and brown sugar of signature Beam products. This has smoke, oak, and vanilla front and center and then you get the sweeter notes.
Palate- Upfront is oak and vanilla giving way to cherry, like a cherry cola and a bit of honey. There is a woodshop taste about it too which isn't overly done but puts it right on the edge of overoaked. In addition I get cigar box and just a hint of bitterness towards the back.
Finish: Nice warming finish. Not the ass kick of the 25th Anniversary bottle, or the warming sensation of KC120, but more gentle. The finish is nice and long with a sweet cherry pop on the end. Definately outkicks it's coverage so to speak at 100 proof.
Overall: A bit too much oak for me here. Although I enjoyed it, I didn't find it better than a 12-14yr KC 120 at twice the price. Will you be sad you bought it- absolutely not! Will you be happy with bang for the buck?- that is where you might scratch your head?
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@Swahili1 Yeah, that's the advice I'm generally hearing. I'll have to get on the lookout.
@ContemplativeFox My advice would be to spurce a quality 12-14 yr store pick for half as much, and adjust to your taste by gently adding water. I will say what is in this bottle is very good, but I think you are also paying for a really nice box
Great notes. Sounds like exactly the impression I've been getting from what I've read elsewhere: possibly too much oak and not really worth the much higher price.