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Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat vs Knob Creek 12 Year
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat and Knob Creek 12 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, wheat-forward craft style versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat | Knob Creek 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 53% corn, 39% wheat, 8% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 6 years | 12 years +6 yr |
| Proof | 106 proof (53% ABV) +6 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$50 – $55 ~$10 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Knob Creek 12 Year does 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
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 8/3 fruit: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
nuttiness 2/7 nuttiness: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 2 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
oak 5/9 oak: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
spice 3/6 spice: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Fruit character is what sets these apart.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat: Because wheat makes up a massive 39% of the mash bill, this pour trades the aggressive spice of rye for a softer, oily mouthfeel. Expect bright fruit notes like ripe apricot and lemon on the nose, transitioning to pastry dough, light oak, and a creamy creme brulee sweetness balanced by a mild peppery backbone.
- 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 Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat if you want a softer, fruit-forward, contemporary profile with a richer, oily texture and lower emphasis on traditional oak at a slightly 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 an older age statement.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).