Compare
Blanton’s Single Barrel vs Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Blanton’s Single Barrel and Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Blanton’s Single Barrel | Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 120 proof (60% ABV) +27 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$80 – $150 | ~$45 – $55 ~$65 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- Blanton’s Single Barrel and Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve do not publish an official mash bill.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 Single Barrel Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Blanton’s Single Barrel Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 4/8 heat: Blanton’s Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Blanton’s Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
fruit 6/3 fruit: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 3 out of 10
oak 6/8 oak: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- 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 Single Barrel Reserve: The same nine-year Knob Creek juice bottled from a single barrel at 120 proof, and the extra strength suits it. Everything the standard bottling does, turned up — with the barrel-to-barrel variation that comes with the format.
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 Single Barrel Reserve if you want the Beam profile at serious proof for well under what most barrel-strength bourbons cost without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Blanton’s Single Barrel); neat, old-fashioned (Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve).