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Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year vs Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year and Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year | Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 9 years +2 yr |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 120 proof (60% ABV) +20 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$35 – $45 ~$10 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
Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 5/8 heat: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
spice 5/7 spice: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
nuttiness 5/7 nuttiness: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
oak 7/8 oak: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 7 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
fruit 4/3 fruit: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 4 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 6 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land very differently on the palate for heat.
- 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 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 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 Single Barrel Reserve if you want the Beam profile at serious proof for well under what most barrel-strength bourbons cost with an older age statement.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year); neat, old-fashioned (Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve).