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Four Roses Small Batch vs Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Four Roses Small Batch and Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Small Batch | Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 120 proof (60% ABV) +30 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$32 – $38 ~$15 less | ~$45 – $55 |
- Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 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 Single Barrel Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Small Batch Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 7/3 fruit: Four Roses Small Batch 7 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 3 out of 10
heat 4/8 heat: Four Roses Small Batch 4 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Four Roses Small Batch 3 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
oak 5/8 oak: Four Roses Small Batch 5 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The fruit-versus-grain contrast drives this one.
- 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 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 Four Roses Small Batch if you want a fruit-and-floral profile that stands apart from the usual caramel-and-oak template at a lower price point.
- 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.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails (Four Roses Small Batch); neat, old-fashioned (Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve).