Review #320 - Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Rye

Written By Me, My Wife & Whisky

For years, Jim Beam has produced a non-age-stated rye whisky for their Knob Creek brand, which has been bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof). Now, it's been replaced by a 7 year old Knob Creek rye, which has the same bottling strength; still, there's plenty of the NAS version floating around shelves right now, and for a reasonable price.

The mashbill isn't officially disclosed, but the general idea is that it's a low-rye rye whisky - the percentage of rye in bill is close to the 51% mark.

Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Rye

USA - Rye

Current Locally Available Price: USD 34 (2024)

Age Statement: NAS

Strength: 50% ABV

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 2 times over 10 months; bottles at 80% and 30% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes

Nose: Oaky and a little bit dusty, along with buttered toast and some sweet brown sugar. There's a bit of spice from white pepper, along with subtle savory notes and an herbal scent in the background.

Palate: Spicy and nutty on arrival - peanut shells, salted peanuts, black and white pepper. There's a sweeter side with time: it turns to caramel turtles, brown sugar, and some cardamom. Subtle lemon-lime soda flavors and mint leaves can be found in the background; it's a medium mouthfeel.

Finish: A nice juxtaposition of sweet and spice - caramel, black pepper, lemons, and vanilla. Oak is warming and moderate strength, and we get some dusty nuts and grain later on; not too rye-grain forward, overall. It's a medium length finish.

Final Note: "Cinnamon Toast Crunch breakfast cereal, but instead of adding milk, you add moonshine" - that's how my wife first described this rye. It has a nice mix of spice, sweetness, and that classic nutty Jim Beam character.

The value here is very good - the Knob Creek brand as a whole continues to deliver great value, and we think this is a very solid rye for an entry-level price.

Our Average Rating: 6.3 / 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: 7.99

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.

Me, My Wife & Whisky
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