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Angel’s Envy vs Knob Creek 12 Year
Comparing Angel’s Envy and Knob Creek 12 Year reveals a matchup between a modern, even-keeled craft expression and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Angel’s Envy | Knob Creek 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 86.6 proof (43.3% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +13 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 ~$13 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Angel’s Envy and Knob Creek 12 Year do not publish an official mash bill.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
Angel’s Envy
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Angel’s Envy Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 5/9 oak: Angel’s Envy 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
fruit 7/3 fruit: Angel’s Envy 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Angel’s Envy 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: Angel’s Envy 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
spice 4/6 spice: Angel’s Envy 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
heat 3/5 heat: Angel’s Envy 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Angel’s Envy: Finished in port barrels, which pushes it well away from the traditional bourbon template toward berry and raisin sweetness. Divisive among purists and extremely popular with everyone else.
- 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 Angel’s Envy if you want an overtly fruity, port-finished bourbon that breaks from the traditional profile on purpose at a lower price point.
- 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 more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Angel’s Envy); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).