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Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon vs Knob Creek 12 Year
Comparing Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon and Knob Creek 12 Year reveals a matchup between a modern, wheated craft expression and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon | Knob Creek 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 5% rye, 25% wheat | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 ~$13 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Knob Creek 12 Year does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon
Didn't care for this one.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 4/9 oak: Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
nuttiness 2/7 nuttiness: Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 2 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
spice 4/6 spice: Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
fruit 4/3 fruit: Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon: An organic, wheat-heavy bourbon from a Michigan craft distillery. It stays round and caramel sweet on the palate with a peppery edge, while the nose is quiet and still a little young.
- 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 Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon if you want an organic, Midwest craft wheater with a round, caramel-forward body at a lower price point.
- 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 more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).