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Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select vs Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Comparing Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select and Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve reveals a matchup between a traditional, even-keeled Kentucky staple and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select | Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 80% corn, 8% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 9 years |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 120 proof (60% ABV) +26 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$45 – $55 |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- 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
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 5/8 heat: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 5 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
nuttiness 4/7 nuttiness: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 4 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
spice 5/7 spice: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 5 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
oak 7/8 oak: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 7 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
fruit 4/3 fruit: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 4 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 6 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select: Barrels pulled from the top of the rickhouse, where the temperature swings are hardest, and it shows as considerably more oak than any standard Jack. A genuinely different proposition from the black label.
- 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 Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select if you want a distinctly oakier, more concentrated Tennessee whiskey with barrel-to-barrel character.
- 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 without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select); neat, old-fashioned (Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve).