Compare
Bulleit Bourbon vs Knob Creek 12 Year
On paper Bulleit Bourbon and Knob Creek 12 Year are near neighbours — both high-rye bourbons — so price (~$25 – $32 vs. ~$55 – $70) is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Bulleit Bourbon | Knob Creek 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $32 ~$34 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
Bulleit Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Bulleit Bourbon Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 5/9 oak: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Bulleit Bourbon 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 5/3 fruit: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
spice 7/6 spice: Bulleit Bourbon 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Bulleit Bourbon 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Bulleit Bourbon: The bottle that put high-rye bourbon in every cocktail bar in the country. Peppery and dry with the familiar MGP dill note, and it earns its place behind the bar more than in a glass on its own.
- 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 Bulleit Bourbon if you want a dry, peppery, high-rye bourbon built for cocktails and available absolutely everywhere at a significantly 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 old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Bulleit Bourbon); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).