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Blanton’s Single Barrel vs Knob Creek 9 Year
On paper Blanton’s Single Barrel and Knob Creek 9 Year are near neighbours — both high-rye bourbons — so price (~$80 – $150 vs. ~$35 – $40) is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Blanton’s Single Barrel | Knob Creek 9 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 9 years |
| Proof | 93 proof (46.5% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +7 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$80 – $150 | ~$35 – $40 ~$78 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- Blanton’s Single Barrel and Knob Creek 9 Year do not publish an official mash bill.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
Blanton’s Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 9 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Blanton’s Single Barrel Knob Creek 9 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Blanton’s Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 6/3 fruit: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10
oak 6/8 oak: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Blanton’s Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- Blanton’s Single Barrel: The bottle that invented the single-barrel category and still trades largely on its horse-stopper cork and its scarcity. The whiskey itself is genuinely good — honeyed and citrus-led with nutmeg spice — but at secondary prices you are paying for the bottle as much as the pour.
- Knob Creek 9 Year: This classic Jim Beam offering leans heavily into traditional oak, rich caramel, vanilla, and the signature Beam peanut-funk nuttiness. At 100 proof it delivers a bolder, more structural wood-and-spice influence with a touch of citrus zest and mint on the finish.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Blanton’s Single Barrel if you want the original single-barrel presentation and a honeyed, citrus-led profile, and the hunt is part of the appeal.
- Go with Knob Creek 9 Year if you want a classic peanut-and-oak-forward Kentucky bourbon with an older age statement at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Blanton’s Single Barrel); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year).