Compare
Ezra Brooks 99 vs Knob Creek 12 Year
Ezra Brooks 99 and Knob Creek 12 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a sourced, classically built blend versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Ezra Brooks 99 | 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 | 99 proof (49.5% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$22 – $28 ~$38 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Ezra Brooks 99 and Knob Creek 12 Year do not publish an official mash bill.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
Ezra Brooks 99
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Ezra Brooks 99 Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 5/9 oak: Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
spice 4/6 spice: Ezra Brooks 99 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 5/7 nuttiness: Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 2/3 fruit: Ezra Brooks 99 2 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Ezra Brooks 99 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Ezra Brooks 99: A high-proof value bottle from Lux Row. The nose is quiet, but the palate is bolder, with creamy caramel, brown sugar and a nutty, peanut-like edge.
- 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 Ezra Brooks 99 if you want a high-proof, nutty, caramel-forward everyday bourbon 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.
Best enjoyed rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Ezra Brooks 99); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).