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Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year vs Knob Creek 12 Year
Comparing Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year and Knob Creek 12 Year reveals a matchup between a traditional, even-keeled Kentucky staple and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year | 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 | 7 years | 12 years +5 yr |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$35 – $45 ~$23 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Knob Creek 12 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
Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/9 oak: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
nuttiness 5/7 nuttiness: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
spice 5/6 spice: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
fruit 4/3 fruit: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year: Seven years, bonded, and priced sensibly — the specification sheet reads like something from twenty years ago. Balanced and oak-leaning without ever getting heavy.
- 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 Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year if you want a bonded, age-stated Kentucky bourbon that gets the fundamentals right for under forty dollars.
- Go with Knob Creek 12 Year if you want the Beam house profile pushed as far into oak as it goes while staying balanced with an older age statement.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).