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Four Roses Single Barrel vs Knob Creek 9 Year
On paper Four Roses Single Barrel and Knob Creek 9 Year are near neighbours — both high-rye bourbons — so price (~$45 – $55 vs. ~$35 – $40) is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Single Barrel | Knob Creek 9 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 9 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$35 – $40 ~$13 less |
- Knob Creek 9 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
Four Roses Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 9 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Single Barrel Knob Creek 9 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 7/3 fruit: Four Roses Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Four Roses Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10
spice 8/6 spice: Four Roses Single Barrel 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10
oak 6/8 oak: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10
heat 6/5 heat: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The fruit-versus-grain contrast drives this one.
- Four Roses Single Barrel: The OBSV recipe on its own at 100 proof — the highest-rye mash Four Roses uses, paired with their most floral yeast. Cherry and clove in equal measure, and a genuinely distinctive glass.
- Knob Creek 9 Year: This classic Jim Beam offering leans heavily into traditional oak, rich caramel, vanilla, and the signature Beam peanut-funk nuttiness. At 100 proof it delivers a bolder, more structural wood-and-spice influence with a touch of citrus zest and mint on the finish.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Four Roses Single Barrel if you want the most expressive, spice-and-fruit-forward single recipe in the Four Roses range.
- Go with Knob Creek 9 Year if you want a classic peanut-and-oak-forward Kentucky bourbon with an older age statement at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Four Roses Single Barrel); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year).