Review #292 - Knob Creek 12 Year Bourbon
One of Jim Beam's flagship brands, Knob Creek, is available with a wide assortment of age statements. The 9 year, along with its single barrel reserve variants, is widely available; on the bourbon side of things, we also get a 12 year age stated release, a 15 year, and an 18 year (as well as a 7 year rye). Today, we're looking at the 12 year release - somewhat widely available, and it comes at a reasonable price.
Like many of the Knob Creek bourbons, this is bottled at a standard 50% ABV (100 proof). On their website, the brand explains that this bottle is supposed to evoke flavors of pre-prohibition bourbon.
Knob Creek 12 Year Bourbon
USA - Bourbon
Price Paid: USD 58 (2023)
Current Locally Available Price: USD 58 (2024)
Age Statement: 12 Years
Strength: 50% ABV
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 9 months; bottles at 80%, 100%, 80%, and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: The focus is on oaky flavors and baking spices: cinnamon, strong brown sugar, caramel corn, and hints of licorice. The oak is somewhat drying and has a dusty character, and it's relatively strong. In the background, little hints of red fruit can be found, but a nutty character is stronger; with time, leather and more cinnamon arrive.
Palate: Warming, full of cinnamon sugar, pepper, and dry vanilla. It's a bit spicy, and oak tannins add to that sensation, though there's a sweeter toasted oak involved as well. Leather, barbecued wood, a nice mix of sweet and dry; at times, hints of cherries, too. The mouthfeel has a medium thickness.
Finish: Medium length, with an interesting combination of sweet, dusty, and wood smoke. There's mature oak with hints of polish, some char mixed in with spices of white pepper, nutmeg, and rye, but also that sweeter side: butterscotch hard candies, a bit of mint. Cinnamon red hots and soft herbal notes linger in the aftertaste.
Final Note: This is a very nice bourbon - the 12 year age statement shows through with great maturity in the oak notes, and the addition of those leathery flavors at times is great. Not a lot of fruity character, just subtle hints, but when we go to Knob Creek, we're looking for those baking spices - this has that in spades. Well rounded and full of flavor, we would definitely recommend this bottle.
Value is good, too - $58 for an age statement over 10 years is not common to find these days, and it comes at a nice proof as well; overall, great flavor at a great price.
Our Average Rating: 7.3 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 7.35
