Compare
E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch vs Knob Creek 12 Year
E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch and Knob Creek 12 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch | Knob Creek 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $90 | ~$55 – $70 ~$5 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch and Knob Creek 12 Year do not publish an official mash bill.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
E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 4/7 nuttiness: E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
oak 7/9 oak: E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
fruit 5/3 fruit: E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
spice 5/6 spice: E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Nutty, grain-driven character is the divider.
- E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch: Bottled-in-bond from the same low-rye Buffalo Trace recipe, and the extra 10 proof over standard BT gives it noticeably more grip. Butterscotch and tobacco with a long, drying finish that outlasts most bottles near its shelf price.
- 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 E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch if you want the Buffalo Trace house profile with real structure and a bonded 100-proof backbone.
- Go with Knob Creek 12 Year if you want the Beam house profile pushed as far into oak as it goes while staying balanced at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).