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Eagle Rare 12 Year vs Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Put Eagle Rare 12 Year next to Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve and you have a classic, corn-forward stalwart set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Eagle Rare 12 Year | Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 12 years +3 yr | 9 years |
| Proof | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) | 120 proof (60% ABV) +25 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$50 – $80 | ~$45 – $55 ~$15 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- Eagle Rare 12 Year and Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Eagle Rare 12 Year
Top 3, behind George T. Stagg and Jack Daniel's 14.
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Eagle Rare 12 Year Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 6/3 fruit: Eagle Rare 12 Year 6 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 3 out of 10
heat 5/8 heat: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
nuttiness 4/7 nuttiness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 4 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
spice 5/7 spice: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 6 out of 10
oak 7/8 oak: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Fruit character is what sets these apart.
- Eagle Rare 12 Year: Two more years and five more proof points than Eagle Rare 10. Brown sugar and toffee lead, with a drier, more astringent oak finish.
- 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 Eagle Rare 12 Year if you want an older, richer step up from Eagle Rare 10 with more brown sugar and oak with an older age statement.
- 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 (Eagle Rare 12 Year); neat, old-fashioned (Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve).