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Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea vs Knob Creek 9 Year

Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea and Knob Creek 9 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a sourced, classically built blend versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.

Key Specifications

Feature Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Knob Creek 9 Year
Type / Style Traditional Bourbon High-Rye Bourbon
Mash Bill 1 Not disclosed 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 ~$70 – $85 ~$35 – $40 ~$40 less
  1. Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea and Knob Creek 9 Year do not publish an official mash bill.
  2. US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.

AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes

Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea

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Knob Creek 9 Year

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Flavor Profile

Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Knob Creek 9 Year
sweetnessspiceoakfruitheatnuttiness

Axis by axis, biggest gap first

nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10
spice 4/6 spice: Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10
oak 6/8 oak: Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10
fruit 5/3 fruit: Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10
heat 3/5 heat: Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10

Flavor Profile Differences

Nutty, grain-driven character is the divider.

  • Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea: Bourbon that spends months rocking in a ship's hold. Each voyage tastes a little different, but expect caramel and dark sugar with a savory, faintly salty edge from the trip.
  • 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 Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea if you want a conversation-piece bourbon with a savory, slightly briny twist from aging at sea.
  • Go with Knob Creek 9 Year if you want a classic peanut-and-oak-forward Kentucky bourbon with an older age statement at a significantly lower price point.

Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year).