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Four Roses Small Batch vs Knob Creek 9 Year
On paper Four Roses Small Batch and Knob Creek 9 Year are near neighbours — both high-rye bourbons — so proof (90 vs. 100) is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Small Batch | Knob Creek 9 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 9 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$32 – $38 | ~$35 – $40 |
- 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 Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 9 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Small Batch Knob Creek 9 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 7/3 fruit: Four Roses Small Batch 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Four Roses Small Batch 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10
oak 5/8 oak: Four Roses Small Batch 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Four Roses Small Batch 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Fruit character is what sets these apart.
- Four Roses Small Batch: Four Roses' yeast strains push this toward fruit and florals rather than wood. Red berry and cinnamon over a light body, with the rye showing up as brightness instead of bite.
- 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 Small Batch if you want a fruit-and-floral profile that stands apart from the usual caramel-and-oak template.
- Go with Knob Creek 9 Year if you want a classic peanut-and-oak-forward Kentucky bourbon with an older age statement with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails (Four Roses Small Batch); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year).