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1792 Small Batch vs Knob Creek 12 Year
1792 Small Batch and Knob Creek 12 Year are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is price (~$26 – $34 vs. ~$55 – $70).
Key Specifications
| Feature | 1792 Small Batch | Knob Creek 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 93.7 proof (46.9% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +6 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$26 – $34 ~$33 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- 1792 Small Batch and Knob Creek 12 Year do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
1792 Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
1792 Small Batch Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 6/9 oak: 1792 Small Batch 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
nuttiness 4/7 nuttiness: 1792 Small Batch 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 5/3 fruit: 1792 Small Batch 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
spice 7/6 spice: 1792 Small Batch 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: 1792 Small Batch 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: 1792 Small Batch 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- 1792 Small Batch: Barton's flagship and one of the most under-discussed bottles at its price. A high-rye character with cocoa and orange peel, and considerably more going on than the shelf position suggests.
- Knob Creek 12 Year: Three more years in the barrel than the standard Knob Creek, and the wood does all the talking. Deep oak and leather over the familiar Beam peanut note, drying toward genuinely tannic on the finish.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with 1792 Small Batch if you want an overlooked, spice-forward Kentucky bourbon that punches above its price.
- Go with Knob Creek 12 Year if you want the Beam house profile pushed as far into oak as it goes while staying balanced with slightly more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (1792 Small Batch); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).